Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0

The world is moving steadily towards automation and digitization of industry sectors. The latest economic model, Industry 4.0, based on new technologies, increases productivity and makes processes more efficient, but it can generate potential problems for companies; one of the most important, undoubtedly, is the IT security that this digital transformation entails.

The new business landscape is based on the interconnection of multiple intelligent devices that automate processes and generate valuable information for companies - the so-called Internet of Things (IoT).

The IoT, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, pose new opportunities that require a revision of the concept of security traditionally held in the industry.

Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, introduces technologies that enable connection and collaboration between devices and systems to improve products, processes or business models in the industrial environment.

As in other sectors, data theft is one of the most feared threats in Industry 4.0. Other attacks, such as industrial espionage, can be perpetrated to harm some companies and strengthen others, or simply as extortion for purely economic purposes.

Protecting information, especially used in projects with large and changing volumes of data, such as Big Data or Artificial Intelligence, involves implementing strategies to protect confidentiality, integrity and availability of this information.

In this sense, companies are increasingly investing in processes that guarantee security of their information, incorporating technology in their infrastructure to prevent attacks or losses due to data leaks.

Security Limitations in Industry 4.0

Most IoT devices, due to their often technical limitations, do not have built-in security features. This fact means that in order to drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution, cybersecurity strategies must be devised from the design stages of the solutions to be used in companies.

The main problem is the fact that industrial systems were not initially designed taking into account their connection to the Internet, so new risks arise, and with them, attacks on critical infrastructures have been on the rise, taking advantage of the lack of protection of the systems.

From a simple access control solution to complex equipment to automate the production process, all these devices must be properly monitored. Industries need to know and be aware in detail of the risks and economic losses associated with cyber attacks.

Cyber attacks in production environments can be caused by carelessness or human error, industrial espionage, poor plant practices, lack of security awareness, or by the advent of the connected industry.

The main objective is to protect the control networks against unauthorized access, both from the production plant itself and from remote equipment; and in this sense it is necessary that from the moment the machinery is designed, both physical security and cybersecurity measures are taken into account to reduce risks.

The industrial paradigm shift also implies the development of strategies and standards aimed at enhancing protection of devices in the industry, in order to combine them with the factory protection measures of traditional devices.

Similarly, it is essential to implement solutions to extend the protection of the corporate network, creating visibility over these devices and applying different cybersecurity policies to them.

It is also important that information security measures are considered from the beginning of automation projects, so that it is possible to prioritize the acquisition of products that meet compliance standards, as well as auxiliary mechanisms to ensure the security of the corporate network perimeter.

Cyber Attacks in the Industry

A cyber attack perpetrated in an industry can have different levels of severity depending on its impact on the business.

Spam or adware only causes annoyance to the organization, while spyware can monitor usage and browsing habits. Phishing is more dangerous, as it can later provide the acquired information for carrying out specialized and more serious cyber attacks. As for Trojans, Viruses, Worms and Ransomware, they make it possible to establish backdoors and to hijack, manipulate or destroy data.

Among the most serious cyber- attacks are RootKit and APT (Advance Persistent Threats), which can lead to a total and unnoticed loss of control of the system, and attack virtually undetectable, remaining on a system for a long time before their effects are visible.

Although there are multiple possible routes of infection, one of the first steps that attackers usually use is to obtain contextual information about the system and its users, is using social engineering techniques in order to perpetrate cyberattacks efficiently and with the least possible risk.

There may also be physical access by a person to a certain area, and connect an infected device, such as a USB, which, when connected to the system, exploits vulnerabilities due to the network design and/or the protocols used.

The human factor is also important to consider, as a user may access malicious websites, respond to phishing emails, leave passwords on visible sites, or show a lack of caution by opening or executing unknown and infested files, which set up backdoors for an attack.

Finally, an accidental cyber attack can also occur, when a computer security infection spreads from one area of the company to another, without being targeted for contamination. In these events, human error is one of the main causes of damage.

Industrial Security Guarantees

To ensure the security of data traveling over industrial and corporate networks, both employees and managers must take into account a number of key aspects:

• Evaluate the needs of each device (machinery, sensor, others) and strictly control the types of access allowed for this equipment.
• Create physical isolation for standalone devices, preventing direct access to them.
• Create visibility of assets and strictly monitor their behavior on the corporate network.
• Incorporate embedded security functionalities in standalone devices, which will facilitate communication with them in a protected way, and ensure integrity, confidentiality and access control in production, for example with authentication and encryption methods.
• Remain alert to security versions and updates available from equipment manufacturers, as well as promote fixes in an agile manner.
• Have measures in place to ensure the continuity of production in the event of serious equipment problems that could have a major impact on the operation of the industry.
• Classify possible risks and threats, evaluating the current state of the industry, and classifying possible vulnerabilities, in order to determine necessary security adjustments.
• Promote periodic audits of the entity's technological infrastructure.

These points can become the basis of any efficient security system, and other specific solutions can be incorporated along with them, such as:

• For devices using username and password authentication, pay attention to the password management process.
• Whenever possible, choose devices that use cryptographic communication protocols.
• Perform constant backups of the entity's data, including data obtained from devices distributed throughout the production plant.
• Intrusion detection systems, port scanning, computer virus alerts etc., as well as using firewalls, among others, to promote higher levels of security for all corporate data.

These measures must be applied and monitored to maintain a high level of safety in industrial environments where the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a reality, in order to reduce the possibilities of complications that cause damage during the execution phases of the production process.

In general terms, cybersecurity is seen as an essential enabler for Industry 4.0 to become effective, covering not only technological elements, but also processes. In this sense, it should be seen as a protection mechanism, but also, and above all, as a basic element for business continuity.

If you are interested in this topic, you can see what solutions Protelion Technology offers for the protection of industrial systems here.