The Basics of Cybersecurity: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability
The fundamentals of industrial cybersecurity are based on three core principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability—often referred to as the CIA triad.
- Confidentiality ensures that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information. In an OT context, this often involves encryption protocols to secure the data flow between devices, sensors, and controllers.
- Integrity means protecting data from unauthorized modifications. Implementing secure boot mechanisms and using approved software and hardware are examples of steps that help ensure data integrity.
- Availability is about ensuring systems and data are available when needed, avoiding interruptions that can lead to severe operational disruptions. Redundancy mechanisms are used to mitigate risks such as single points of failure (SPOF) in network topologies
In an OT environment, availability is typically the top priority. Industrial Ethernet facilitates communication between various devices such as sensors, controllers, and human-machine interfaces (HMIs), which makes maintaining uninterrupted service crucial to avoiding production downtime and costly disruptions. However, maintaining integrity and confidentiality is equally important. Measures such as encryption and secure access control help in achieving these goals, even as we focus primarily on keeping systems online.
Industrial Cybersecurity Challenges and Strategies
Industrial systems have traditionally been air-gapped, meaning they were physically isolated from external networks. However, the rise of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 has led to increased interconnectivity, effectively blurring the line between IT and OT environments. This connection introduces new vulnerabilities, such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and ransomware attacks.
Implementing defense-in-depth strategies is essential for securing industrial Ethernet networks. This approach involves deploying multiple layers of defense to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. It includes measures such as network segmentation, where critical assets are isolated from less secure parts of the network, and the use of demilitarized zones (DMZs) to control traffic between IT and OT environments. Secure access controls, strong encryption, and ongoing monitoring of network activity are also vital to mitigate the risks of both internal and external threats.
Effective cybersecurity in an industrial context requires a focus on governance and management. Ensuring compliance with cybersecurity standards such as IEC 62443, training employees to recognize threats like phishing and social engineering, and maintaining an up-to-date asset inventory are all important steps toward safeguarding the integrity of an industrial Ethernet network. By embedding security into the system’s lifecycle, organizations can mitigate the risks of attacks on vulnerable components and maintain continuous system availability.
Security at All Levels: The Importance of Foundational Security
The increasing complexity of industrial Ethernet calls for security measures that encompass all levels of the system, including the lowest layers where communication protocols operate. While end devices and network gateways are the more visible targets for attackers, fundamental vulnerabilities can also exist at the middleware and protocol levels, making it critical to secure these lower levels.
RT-Labs’ FSoE (Fail-Safe over EtherCAT) product exemplifies how to integrate cybersecurity at the foundational level of industrial Ethernet. Developed according to the IEC 61508 standard, FSoE addresses safety requirements from the earliest phases of the development lifecycle, and is also developed with cybersecurity in focus, following strict requirements from customers. It is designed to be integrated into customer systems, providing a secure communication layer for safety-related applications.
The FSoE product complies with cyber security requirements such as static code analysis, code review, and security awareness throughout the development process. It also adheres to a secure development lifecycle and avoids the use of hardcoded credentials, reducing the likelihood of backdoor exploits. Additionally, the FSoE middleware has achieved Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3) certification, underscoring its reliability for use in critical industrial environments. While FSoE is developed for safety, it also incorporates cybersecurity measures to meet customer requirements.
Why Security Matters
Securing industrial Ethernet is not just about defending endpoints or preventing unauthorized access to network gateways. It is equally crucial to address vulnerabilities at the communication level where data exchange occurs between controllers and field devices. Given that industrial systems often operate in environments that demand a high degree of reliability and safety, overlooking security at the protocol level can have severe consequences, ranging from data loss to complete production shutdowns.
RT-Labs’ FSoE product helps mitigate these risks by ensuring that even the lowest levels of an industrial Ethernet system are designed with security in mind. By focusing on achieving both safety and cybersecurity objectives, it supports the safe operation of industrial automation equipment, providing manufacturers with the assurance that their systems are protected from cyber threats.
Conclusion
In the interconnected world of industrial Ethernet, cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought. It must be integrated into every level of the system, from high-level applications to the foundational communication layers. The FSoE product from RT-Labs illustrates how a commitment to secure development can result in a robust, certified solution that meets the rigorous demands of industrial environments. By addressing cyber risks at every level, industrial organizations can ensure the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of their networks, thus safeguarding their operational continuity and protecting against evolving cyber threats.