Inductive Automation's Kevin McClusky suggests a different approach to make your industrial systems safe and secure in this month's featured guest blog.

What would it take to break into Fort Knox? As one of the most secure locations on the planet, it wouldn’t be easy. However, someone with the right amount of time, planning, and determination may be able to find a way.

The same is true for most industrial systems. So, how to protect what’s inside? Strategies that may work in the physical world—thicker walls or taller fences—don’t translate to digital systems. The tools of the trade here are a variety of high-tech solutions such as firewalls, SIEMs, IDS’s, and IPS’s. These are tools mainly to monitor network traffic and control the flow, and provide early alerts if there’s unusual activity.

However, what if we threw out all of those traditional tools and took a different approach?

Part 2 of our interview with Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse addresses edge communications and reducing network complexity.

Last week in the OptoBlog, we shared a recent interview where Josh Eastburn had a discussion with ICS Pulse's Gary Cohen about using industrial devices on the edge of your networks and their effect on cybersecurity.

Their conversation continues in Part 2 of this Expert Interview series and covers: 

• OT data risks
• Different OT communication protocol models
• How MQTT addresses security threats
• Reducing network complexity

A discussion with Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse about edge devices and cybersecurity

Industry 4.0 and edge computing concepts are becoming more commonplace in a variety of industries. Data democratization is key for companies taking on their digital transformations. But along with these advancements come extra security risks. 

How can you address cybersecurity threats for these devices on the edge of your networks? We have some thoughts on that, and Josh Eastburn shared some insights when he recently sat down with Gary Cohen, senior editor at Industrial Cybersecurity Pulse.

Take part in a new virtual workshop that brings together changemakers in automation.

IntegrateLive! is a new collaboration that aligns integrators, vendors, and end users that share these values:

OPEN: Dedicated to making data flow freely between solutions and willing to work with others, even when they are competitors.
SERVICE: Fair business practices, publicly available pricing, and clear communication about what works and what doesn't.
HUMBLE: Not believing we have all the answers. Together we are better. Striving to learn from others and serve others at the same time.

The end result? An integrated solution ecosystem that you can use to solve everyday industrial problems.

Opto 22 is excited to be a part of this open collaboration and invites you to witness live demonstrations of different vendors' technologies working together.

This post has been updated since it's original publication date. The IntegrateLive! workshop recording is now available for on-demand viewing. Watch now.

A recent briefing from the Biden administration White House reiterates the urgency for today's businesses to take extra cybersecurity cautions.

As current events in our world continue to escalate, the potential for Russia to retaliate against United States sanctions has become a very real threat. President Biden's message this week warned all businesses must act now to protect themselves against cybersecurity attacks.

Ver y aprender que significa tener un sistema de control industrial seguro.

Hace tiempo que se sabe que la automatización industrial viene con vulnerabilidades en la tecnología y en práctica. Los PLCs de antes no fueron diseñados para las conexiones de redes LAN no confiables o para el internet. Y la contraseña escrita en una nota ya no es suficiente para la política de seguridad de hoy en día. Así es que, ¿cuál es la solución?

Follow this new cybersecurity video series demonstrating key product features that keep your systems safe.

Terry Orchard is back in the OptoDemo studio and delivering some valuable content you don't want to miss! His latest developer video series takes a closer look at using self-signed certificates with your groov EPIC or groov RIO devices.

The goal is to ensure both trusted and encrypted connections—another way groov products deliver cybersecurity right out of the box.

Security certificates are critical tools for designing cybersecure automation systems, and they're easier to set up on your groov devices than you might think.

Have you ever seen a warning message from your browser telling you a connection is untrusted and asking if you want to proceed anyway? If you're connecting to groov Manage, then the connection this message refers to is actually your groov EPIC or RIO!

But what if I told you that in a few simple steps you can prove to browsers and other connected systems that network communications to your groov devices are secure, encrypted, and protecting your automation assets?

Watch and learn what it means to have a secure industrial controls system.

Industrial automation has long been known to carry cybersecurity vulnerabilities at the levels of both technology and practice. Legacy PLCs weren’t designed for connections to untrusted LANs or the internet, and the old password-on-a-sticky-note security policy just doesn’t cut it anymore. So, what's the solution?

Las mejores prácticas para el groov EPIC y la ciberseguridad

Habrá oído de ataques informáticos y cómo han afectado a empresas grandes y chicas. Sus sistemas o los de sus clientes trabajan bien, pero habrá más que se puede hacer para proteger esos sistemas? Hay estratégias de seguridad que puede incorporar a sus sistemas existentes.