The OPC UA (OPC unified architecture) communication protocol is the most modern standard presented by OPC Foundation. Currently, the OPC UA protocol is one of the most widely used in industrial environments, due to its ability to interconnect different devices, regardless of their base protocol and vendor.
Throughout this article, a technical assessment of the protocol will be conducted, explaining in detail the technical capabilities that allow a high level of cybersecurity to be implemented without causing performance losses in the devices.
Second part of the Top 20 mitigations for industrial environments. This part will focus on mitigations related to network architecture, industrial protocols, network configuration and vulnerability scanning.
In the industrial world, there are a large number of systems, equipment, networks, areas, ducts, cloud environments, IT-OT environments, etc. In recent years, the number of attacks on industrial environments has been growing exponentially, and not only on purely industrial environments, but also on corporate environments that are connected to industrial environments. These IT environments being access points for attackers due to this IT/OT connectivity.
The security gaps and issues that exist within industrial environments are sometimes unknown to many information consumers. This article aims to bring first hand some of the most interesting issues and attack trends in 2023 in the industrial sector. Different industrial cybersecurity incidents so far this year will be described at a high level and a comparison will be made with the trend presented at the beginning of the year.
The Zero Trust methodology is based on the premise that no user, device, or network can be trusted, and that access privileges and security levels must be continuously verified in all interactions.
The motivation for applying the Zero Trust methodology is the need to protect a company's sensitive data and digital resources against potential internal and external threats.
Firmware analysis can help to uncover potential vulnerabilities that would otherwise never have been discovered.
Although there are multiple types of attacks on IoT and IIoT devices, this guide focuses on the firmware of these devices to check for potential vulnerabilities, using security testing and reverse engineering to allow for an in-depth analysis of the firmware.
Information security standards have become increasingly important in recent years, as more and more legal requirements oblige companies to demonstrate a certain degree of cybersecurity compliance. The IEC 62443 family of standards describes in its various sections the requirements for the secure implementation of an ICS (Industrial Control System) and represents a guarantee of cybersecurity in industrial environments. This article deals with IEC62443-3-3 covering cybersecurity of industrial systems.
The evolution of communications in society is also having an impact on the industrial world. With the arrival of 5G, many industrial companies have considered migrating some of their communications to take advantage of the characteristics of this new mobile communications band, such as the reduction of latency times, the increase in connection speed or the exponential increase in the number of devices that can be connected to the network. These characteristics fit perfectly with the industrial mentality, where there are a multitude of interconnected devices between which there cannot be a communication cut due to the criticality of the processes they implement.
This article aims to comment, in addition to all the advantages that 5G provides to the industry, the different uses that can be given currently and the complexity of implementing these communications in some devices for subsequent deployment in the industry. Also, to specify possible vulnerabilities in communications using 5G networks.
External access provides great convenience to workers, as it allows them to access any industrial equipment deployed in the field from the office or even further away. However, this type of access can pose a number of security problems for the company. This article reviews the main problems and how to solve them.