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Industrial cybersecurity and zenon

zenon adds an important layer in industrial cybersecurity and helps better protect production landscapes.

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Industrial cybersecurity with zenon | COPA-DATA

Industrial cybersecurity is more important than ever

Companies, particularly manufacturing companies and infrastructure operators, are increasingly realizing the benefits of the smart production environment. Cross-site networking for a wide range of equipment provides, for example, greater comparability of data, better predictability for outages, and improved efficiency in production. The possibilities that open up in such a smart factory seem almost limitless.

But along with the benefits, companies now face new risks. While equipment in the past were islands, so to speak, isolated from the rest of the virtual world, network connectivity opens the door to increased risk of cybercrime. For this reason, industrial cybersecurity is more important than ever.

The high level of risk present in the pharmaceutical industry has made many manufacturers hesitant to move away from paper documentation and embrace the total digitalization of the manufacturing plant. As drug patents expire, however, production efficiency becomes increasingly important. At COPA-DATA, we have developed our pharmaceutical manufacturing software zenon to help companies overcome industry challenges and optimize their processes using innovative technology.

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Cybersecurity in the smart factory

Cybersecurity in the smart factory

Traditionally, cybersecurity was mostly an issue for information technology (IT).
IT was often separate to operational technology (OT); OT being the production landscape in a company, including controllers, HMIs, sensors, and the related software landscape. OT was often considered “an island”, cut off from the worldwide web and, therefore, somewhat protected from cyberattack.
However, with increasing network connectivity in the OT environment, cybersecurity has become an issue that must be considered an interdisciplinary task shared by IT and OT.

With the growing transition towards the smart factory and the associated increasingly networked factory, previously closed systems are opening up. And despite all the benefits of the smart factory, it is also, unfortunately, vulnerable to cyberattacks. This situation holds a variety of potential threats: espionage and theft of intellectual property, loss of sensitive data, deliberately caused system errors with the goal of bringing all production to a stop, decline in quality, the cost of sabotage, etc.

This raises the crucial question: how can you protect yourself and your business from these threats?

Cybersecurity for brownfield applications

Special case: Brownfield applications

In industrial environments, it is not usually possible to design and develop equipment and projects from scratch. Industrial companies and infrastructure facilities often make investments on a very long time horizon. It is quite possible that many of the machines still in use in a company are older than the term smart factory.

Many such brownfield applications include older machines that were built originally for closed systems or involve systems historically developed using different technologies. Newer equipment may be prepared for cybercrime threats, but older equipment may have hidden vulnerabilities that need to be closed before cyberattackers find them.

Even though in practice one frequently hears it said that you should “never touch a running system,” it is important to regularly update your system, even the legacy components. Only when software systems are kept fully up to date is it possible, for example, to ensure that known security gaps are closed.

Raising awareness and promoting cybersecurity

Raising awareness and promoting cybersecurity

For a long time, cybersecurity was considered an IT-only problem. This went along with the idea that many in the field of OT lack awareness and, as a result, lack the know-how to deal with the issue. Industrial cybersecurity covers a very broad field with many individual components and it does not help much if attention is paid to only a few of the many possible access points. To ensure security for an entire system, all employees have to be trained accordingly. For example, to recognize phishing emails or to create secure passwords. Raising awareness of cybersecurity also helps employees to see the danger and better understand the importance of these safeguards.

COPA-DATA and IEC 62443-4-1

COPA-DATA and IEC 62443-4-1

The IEC 62443 series of standards titled “Industrial communication networks – IT security for networks and systems” focuses specifically on security requirements in industrial environments. It provides guidelines for protecting industrial automation systems and defines clear technical and organizational requirements to ensure robust security for all stakeholders, from system integrators and designers to component manufacturers.

COPA-DATA develops zenon in line with the IEC 62443-4-1 standard and holds the corresponding certification. This is important when it comes to protecting systems controlled by zenon. Compliance with the standard covers the software manufacturer’s development cycle. Conformity covers not only a comprehensive test procedure and documentation but also the preparation of risk analyses and, of course, relevant training for the entire team. Certification thus not only impacts the people directly involved in product development but also covers many other areas and disciplines in the business.

In addition, COPA-DATA partners with universities, research institutes, and third-party service providers to continuously improve zenon.

Compliance with the aspects of IEC 62443-4-1 also supports the implementation of the EU’s NIS 2 Directive, which expands on the original NIS (Network and Information Security) directive and will have a much wider future scope.

NIS 2 Directive

The NIS 2 Directive as roadmap for added cybersecurity

To promote cybersecurity and cyber resilience at the European level, the existing NIS Directive was expanded and developed into the NIS 2 Directive. The change applies NIS more broadly in the EU member states than previously.

From October 2024, it will apply to significantly more companies than the prior version. Even if a company is not affected directly by the NIS 2 laws, it might be possible that relevant precautions have to be taken, based on supply chain integrations or the services provided.

The NIS 2 Directive is implemented via the national legislation of the individual member states. As a result, it will not be rolled out at the same time or in the same way across the EU.

NIS 2: What do you need to do?

It is important to view the NIS 2 Directive not as a burdensome requirement. Rather, use it as an opportunity to better strengthen your cybersecurity posture. The good news: anyone who has already dealt with issues of cybersecurity and existing certifications has already taken a big step in the right direction.

The following measures are included in the NIS 2 Directive:

  • Concepts for risk analysis and security for information systems are mandatory.
  • Measures to deal with security incidents must be defined.
  • Backup management and recovery, as well as crisis management after an incident, are intended to ensure the continuity of operations.
  • Security also must be considered and applied to supply chains, including direct suppliers and service providers.
  • Vulnerabilities must be disclosed and managed.
  • Employees must be trained in cybersecurity.
  • The directive requires concepts and procedures for the use of cryptography and encryption.

(Source: [NIS 2 and cybersecurity: Which businesses are affected by the EU directive and what to expect])

Security and zenon

Security on the zenon software platform

Each production system can consist of numerous components, all of which should be monitored and protected. You might think of it in the context of securing your own home: even the best door lock is useless if you leave the windows open on the ground floor.

The following is also true in the framework of the NIS 2 regulations: zenon is always only one part of a comprehensive production landscape that needs to be protected. However, zenon brings a lot of functionality and tools to safeguard this particular part of the landscape, including the following:

  • Compatibility has always been one of zenon’s core features. Forward and backward compatibility in zenon makes it easier to install new software versions so that projects, including their security aspects, are kept up to date at all times.

  • NIS 2 requires a well-designed backup management plan and the ability to restore projects. Backups of zenon projects can, of course, be created and restored at any time.

  • User management, secure password protection, and protection against unauthorized access are integrated functional components in zenon. They have a consistent look and feel and are easy to configure. Authorization levels that support access rights and permitted operating actions by users are also easily configurable and strengthen the security of operation.

  • When it comes to the smart factory, securely encrypted communication is absolutely essential, especially as web apps and cloud computing platforms usually come into play.

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We are happy to support you

Of course, industrial cybersecurity also plays a central role in many other features of zenon.
You can find detailed instructions on how to protect a zenon project from cyberattack in the zenon Security Guide in the online help.
The latest information is also available on our self-service portal.

If you’d like more information about industrial cybersecurity, you can of course contact your local sales representative. The COPA-DATA support team will also be happy to provide you with information.

The high level of risk present in the pharmaceutical industry has made many manufacturers hesitant to move away from paper documentation and embrace the total digitalization of the manufacturing plant. As drug patents expire, however, production efficiency becomes increasingly important. At COPA-DATA, we have developed our pharmaceutical manufacturing software zenon to help companies overcome industry challenges and optimize their processes using innovative technology.

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Cybersecurity in the smart factory
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