In their list of good intentions for 2023, manufacturing industries should be looking at the pathway towards risk-free digitalization. Easy said, but where to start? What is the best way to achieve the digital transition, and, above all, to see your efforts rewarded?
The Industry 4.0 digitalization process starts with cyber security.
Although the road is winding and requires some effort, the fact is this: cyber security greatly facilitates the process of digital transition.
It does this by structuring the change, including putting in place predictive maintenance plans, advanced energy monitoring, etc. In fact, cyber security helps manufacturing companies to navigate the difficult terrain of machine data sharing, while ensuring they do not fall victim to attacks or privacy violations.
Producers often feel a sense of trepidation when faced with the need to carry out a process designed to digitize an area of OT, especially in relation to:
- A shared data breach
- Increased risks from an attack, resulting in a shutdown in production
Such fears are often not without foundation, but it is important to realize that these risks are not strictly related to the digital transition, but rather to the cybersecurity situation that already exists in the plant.
It is very risky to undertake the digital transition without first assessing the cybersecurity status of the plant.
On the other hand, if you carry out checks on the security status of the plant, and then deal with any problems that arise, you can minimize the risks associated with the digital transition.
The end result will be improvements in production efficiency in relation to digitalization, but also improvements in terms of overall security.
So, put away your fears and start the journey. The first step towards achieving the goal of digitalization is to ensure your plant is safe.
Okay, we get the point, first we do the cyber security and then we get on to digitalization. But how long is this journey?
There are three main stages on the way to your destination.
Paradoxically, the first relates to a well-known issue in the industrial context: i.e. safety. Until now, safety and security have been regarded as separate matters with little in common. But this viewpoint is now outdated, and the “safety no longer exists without security” approach is being adopted in many industrial concerns.
Traditional risk analysis alone is no longer sufficient: cyber security needs to be an integral part of a device throughout its lifecycle to ensure it is fully secure.
The second stage concerns decision-making control, and the need to make choices as objectively as possible with regard to cyber security. Everyone is now aware of its importance, including in the industrial field.
A management framework should be set out before entering into the details of the technical solution. This should enable you to establish priorities for the various operations, and make an object assessment of impacts and costs, so you can allocate time and resources where necessary.
The final sprint concerns cybersecurity certification. It is now increasingly important to be able to ensure that your device, system, or plant meets certain universally recognized criteria; and this will provide a major competitive advantage in future years.
The only way to achieve this is to apply for a form of certification, whose long-term validity is guaranteed by certain accredited bodies.
Tackling this process requires a technical approach.
In short, we need a regulatory structure that indicates the objectives to pursue, leaving us free to choose the most appropriate technical solutions. There can be no doubt about the best choice: the leading standard is IEC 62443, which has become to all intents and purposes the de-facto standard for OT.
However, although it is not essential to be experts in this field when you first set out, you need the right guide to help you reach the finish.
Our consultancy has the specific goal of providing operational solutions, the most suitable and technically relevant ones according to the specific needs of our customers.
- We have specialized in the field of OT Cyber Security since 2014
- We test OT cybersecurity solutions in our in-house lab
- Our technicians carry IEC 62443/ISA 99 certification (Fundamentals Specialists and Cyber Security Risk Assessment Specialists)
- We are specialists in the field of automation and OT networks
- We work with leading technology providers, and can always advise you on the right OT solution
- Our internal BYHON division is accredited by ANSI and ISASecure® for the certification of OT cybersecurity
We always act as an advisor to the parties. Our task is to ensure total impartiality and transparency in suggesting the most suitable tools, including the best ones on the national and international scene, on a case by case basis, without any goal of selling particular products, but only those geared to the satisfaction of our customers’ needs.
Thus, our partnerships are made to stay up-to-date with the latest products and technologies, so that we can always propose the most suitable solution and ensure the complete resolution of every safety and security need. For this, we are the Digital Transition Partner of Siemens Italy and have active collaborations with certification bodies and many technology providers.
“Their flexible and innovative approach to Cyber Security Risk Assessment had been the key for the success of our conformity project according to IEC 62443 standards.” – Download this file
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