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Industrial IoT Security – A roadmap

First published by Cisco.com

Industrial IoT (IIoT) is all around us: in water, in gas, and electricity distribution networks, running power plants and critical infrastructure, in production lines and transportation networks, and more.

In the traditional IT world, security risks involve threats that would undermine the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and systems.

IIoT drives the physical world where operational technologies (OT) are used. The risk in IIoT environments involves threats that would undermine the operational safety (physical security of goods and people, environmental impact) and the availability or even the physical integrity of the production process. Theft of intellectual property and trade secrets is a major concern, and the impact is not just financial, but also social, human, and ecological. This is why efficient Industrial IoT Security is so important.

With IIoT devices constantly coming online, industrial networks have become a target for hackers; Industrial IoT Security has become more important than ever.

What can be done?

Step 1: Identify your industrial assets

  • Know all of your industrial assets
  • understand who they are communicating with
  • Identify vulnerabilities

Step 2: Segment your control networks

  • Group assets into isolated ICS zones
  • Define security policies to protect zones
  • Prevent attacks from spreading

Step 3: Enforce security policies

  • Detect intrusions from the IT domain
  • Block attempts to scan and modify industrial assets
  • Control communications on your industrial network

Step 4: Monitor industrial processes

  • Detect abnormal behaviors from industrial assets
  • Run converged IT/OT threat investigations
  • Block attacks on your ICS before it’s too late.

Step 5: Leverage Cisco as your partner for the road ahead.

Have peace of mind knowing:
  1. You can view your industrial asset inventory,
  2. Monitor your ICS applications live to detect any abnormal behaviors
  3. Extend cybersecurity policies to the OT domain, and
  4. Gain full visibility and control of your industrial network.

For further detail and to learn more about the journey to industrial IoT security, check out the Cisco IoT Security Infographic