Page 15 - Industrial Technology September 2020 issue

SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Standards challenges

INDUSTRIAL NETWORKS

INDUSTRY 4.0 (I4.0) IS THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, PUSHING INDUSTRY TOWARDS A MORE
AUTOMATED, AND SOPHISTICATED MANUFACTURING PROCESS. AS DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES
BECOME INCREASINGLY DIGITISED AND INTERCONNECTED, THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) OPENS A
WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANUFACTURERS. HOWEVER, THESE SAME TECHNOLOGIES ALSO
PRESENT CYBER WEAKNESSES, AS JOE LOMAKO OF TÜV SÜD EXPLAINS

report from Make UK revealed that 60% of its
members have been subject to a cyber security
incident, almost a third of whom suffered some
Afinancial loss or disruption to business as a
result. 41% of manufacturers went on to report that they
have been asked by customers to demonstrate or
guarantee the robustness of their cyber security processes.
Industry 4.0 systems include various components,
such as cyber-physical systems, cloud computing, edge
computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI). But usually
there is some physical component or sensor (usually many
hundreds or thousands) which will be part of the system,
often referred to generically as an IoT device. These
components and sensors connect industrial systems to
each other and are the interface to the outside world –
continuously collecting data.
Although these components and sensors could be
regarded as the strength of any given system it is entirely
possible that it could conversely also be its Achilles heel. and it will likely pervade across the US. However, the are other options outside the present standards‘
According to a report from Kaspersky Lab earlier this year, scope of the Draft EN 303 645 standard is aimed only at landscape. This includes more stringent, bespoke testing
half of all industrial control system networks have faced consumer IoT devices, so is not applicable for industrial or “pen testing”, which will identify deeper and more
some form of cyber-attack. Some connected devices lack products, although the general principles therein can serious threats to a machine and the IoT system within
the appropriate cyber robustness to prevent attacks and certainly be applied generically to afford some modicum of which it sits. It is also vital to think “Secure by design” and
this, coupled with the fact that some control systems protection as part of a tailored risk assessment take a proactive approach to cybersecurity recognising
could be using outdated or bespoke operating systems or There is some debate that the present cyber security that attacks are “when not if”. What‘s more, threat
software, increases cyberattack vulnerability. standards are lacking some detail and appropriate in resilience is an iterative task. Not all threats may have
When we visit industrial sites, we are finding that there application, and do not adequately cover the scope of been discovered on the first assessment, or may even exist
is sometimes a perception that because a system is typical industrial applications. That may be true, but they yet. It’s therefore very important to ensure up to date
complex that it is automatically secure. That is are at least a good first start where nothing previously compliance with all standards and constantly review your
unfortunately not always the case. The introduction of the existed that had a focussed scope. ‘cyber resistance’ status.
NIS Directive (security of network and information There are several groups of published standards which As Industry 4.0 and the IoT advance, systems and
systems) in Europe is intended to improve this situation, are aimed at improving security from network installations will become increasingly interconnected on a
but uptake is slow, as is the introduction of the standards infrastructure to devices. For example, it is possible that global scale. While digitisation and the increasing
required to assist in improving cyber security. However, an industrial IoT device could be certified under the IEC connectivity provided by the IoT bring enormous
standards do exist or are being developed by international 62443 series of standards, which aims to mitigate risk for opportunities, unforeseeable risks and serious
organisations aimed at providing baseline protection, industrial communication networks by providing a vulnerabilities can be exploited by new forms of
which would help to deliver basic security provisions for a structured approach to cybersecurity. This would probably cybercrime.
first line in cyber defence. Examples include not having be more familiar to operators and integrators of control Ongoing investment in cyber security is crucial to keep
default passwords or ensuring that a device’s software can and automation systems. While this standard series has a up with technological development, as cybercriminals
be updated “over the air”. mix of process and technical requirements, it covers what rapidly develop new forms of attack to hack into critical IT
Two important standards that we see for IoT devices we would typically call a “product”. Therefore, in addition infrastructure. Sadly, at the present moment in time there
are NIST 8259 (US) and Draft EN 303 645 (EU). The to this process requirements can be found in IEC 62443- needs to be more traction in device and component cyber
scope of the NIST has been written with the intent to 4-1, and technical requirements in IEC 62443-4-2. assessment and it would be prudent for any integrator or
address a wide range of IoT type products, which have at Although it may seem that the standards do not cover end user to ask their supplier what level of cyber
least one transducer. So, it follows that it can apply to I4.0 everything, and they don’t, they do at least offer that first assessment has been performed and to prove its
industrial products. More importantly is that this standard line of defence. However, manufacturers should also cyberattack resilience.
has been mandated in California under State Bill No. 327, consider their own cybersecurity programmes and there MORE INFORMATION: www.tuv-sud.co.uk

September 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY 15