IIoT security is nothing to over look when implementing Industry 4.0 concepts
By Kaylee Swearingen, Marketing Specialist, Mazak Optonics Corp.
Industry 4.0 is here with users accessing their shop floor data remotely either from computers, tablets and smart phones. The Mazak iSMART Factory Solution uses software to analyze factory production and present it visually in real-time in place of using historical data, allowing you to take immediately action and improving production efficiency.
“Reading data directly from the shop floor in a visual manner often allows for increased productivity of 10 to 50 percent,” says Tim O’Donnell, Mazak Optonics software supervisor.
This information can be utilized by leadership in fabrication shops to figure out where the issues are occurring and how to prevent them from happening. But having this valuable data can come at a cost if you are not safe. With this incredibly powerful visual data in place, are you sure your shop floor is secure?
More devices means more potential problems. With multiple devices connected to the internet, hackers have more potential routes to enter your facility and more options to capture more information.
"Connecting your factory floor to the cloud leaves your company vulnerable to attacks through malware, spyware or ransomware. This vulnerability leaves your factory's data open to sabotage," says Tim O'Donnell, Software Supervisor at Mazak Optonics Corp.
Staying on top of updates is vital and it must be done consistently across devices. Having a secure firewall is also necessary to keep your shop floor safe of cyber threats.
But Mazak has a solution to securing your factory floor, the Mazak SmartBox. The SmartBox serves as a firewall that protects from outside attackers who are trying to tap into your facility's network.
Even if you already have a firewall in place, it might not be enough protection. The SmartBox acts as a second line of defense protecting the shop floor specifically.
The SmartBox includes a state-of-the-art Cisco networking platform and Layer3 Managed Switch, industrialized for the factory environment. The system prevents unauthorized access taking place between the machines and the equipment within the network.
"The SmartBox was designed to let data out from the factory floor but block data from coming in. Extra security barriers are vital in order to keep your data safe," explains O'Donnell.
Do you want to make sure your entire shop floor is safe? The SmartBox is not just for Mazak machines, it can also be connected to additional existing equipment with ease.
"Through MTConnect, the standardized machine language, you can protect not only your Mazak machinery but also additional third-party and legacy equipment," says O'Donnell. "Sensors can be added to enable any third-party or legacy equipment to be compatible with the network and SmartBox, keeping your machines protected."
Security should not be compromised when getting your shop floor Industry 4.0 ready. As important as having factory floor data is, it is even more important to have that information secure and safe.
Read the full article from FABShop Magazine Direct