Operational Technology (OT) Security is essential for safeguarding industrial control systems and critical infrastructure against cyber threats, which could cause operational disruptions and safety hazards. Palo Alto Networks, a leader in cybersecurity, collaborates with Siemens, a global powerhouse in industrial automation, to provide advanced OT security solutions. This partnership leverages both companies' expertise to protect vital systems against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, helping to ensure continuity, safety, and resilience in essential services and manufacturing processes.
Operational Technology (OT) security faces unique challenges primarily because OT environments often involve legacy systems that were not designed with modern cybersecurity in mind. These systems are crucial for managing physical processes in industries such as manufacturing, energy, and utilities. Some of the key challenges in OT security include:
- Integration of Legacy Systems: Many OT systems are tied to legacy software and were not designed with the necessary security features to ward off modern cyber threats. Upgrading these systems may not be possible, or would significantly disrupt operational continuity.
- Increasing Connectivity: As industries move towards Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), OT systems are becoming more connected to IT networks and the internet. This increased connectivity exposes OT systems to a broader range of cyber threats.
- Lack of Visibility: OT environments often suffer from a lack of cybersecurity visibility due to the heterogeneous nature of devices and systems involved, making it difficult to detect and respond to incidents.
- Skill Gap: There is a notable skill gap in the workforce when it comes to understanding both OT technologies and cybersecurity. This gap makes it challenging to implement effective security measures.
- Compliance and Regulatory Issues: OT systems in sectors like energy and utilities are subject to stringent regulatory requirements. Ensuring compliance while adequately securing systems can be complex and costly, especially if changes require recertification.
DIN-Rail Solutions in OT Security: DIN-Rail is a standard type of rail used for mounting industrial control equipment inside equipment racks. These are widely used in OT environments. From a cybersecurity perspective, DIN-Rail mounted devices, such as firewalls or Ethernet switches, are increasingly being designed to suit the specific needs of OT environments. These solutions can help address some of the challenges mentioned above by providing:
- Enhanced Security Features: Modern DIN-Rail devices can include advanced security features such as firewall capabilities, intrusion detection, and secure authentication mechanisms tailored for OT environments.
- Compact and Robust Design: DIN-Rail devices are designed to fit seamlessly into industrial settings, often with rugged features to withstand harsh environments.
- Ease of Integration: These devices can be easily integrated with existing OT systems, providing a non-disruptive way to enhance security.
The Siemens IPC BX-21A is an industrial PC designed for use in harsh and demanding operational technology (OT) environments. It combines robust performance with advanced security features, making it an ideal choice for critical infrastructure and industrial applications. Here’s an overview of the Siemens IPC BX-21A and its relevance in OT security:
- Robust Design: The IPC BX-21A is engineered to withstand the rigorous conditions typical in industrial settings. It features a rugged design that is resistant to dust, temperature extremes, and vibrations, ensuring reliable operation in environments like manufacturing plants, power stations, and transportation systems.
- Enhanced Security Features: Understanding the critical nature of OT environments, the IPC BX-21A is equipped with enhanced security features. It includes hardware and software security measures such as TPM (Trusted Platform Module) for secure hardware-based key storage and encryption, BIOS password protection, and secure boot options that prevent unauthorized access and ensure that only trusted software runs on the device.
- Performance and Scalability: Powered by high-performance processors and capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously, the IPC BX-21A is designed for scalability. This allows it to adapt to various industrial applications, from simple control tasks to complex data processing and analysis, providing flexibility in deployment.
- Connectivity and Integration: The IPC BX-21A supports a wide range of connectivity options including standard Ethernet, optional Wi-Fi, and cellular communications, enabling seamless integration into existing IT and OT networks. This connectivity is crucial for the implementation of IoT (Internet of Things) in industrial environments, facilitating better data collection and analytics.
- Energy Efficiency: Aligning with modern demands for sustainability, the IPC BX-21A is designed to be energy efficient, reducing the environmental impact while maintaining high performance. This is particularly important in energy-sensitive environments where power consumption is a critical factor.
- Application Areas: The IPC BX-21A is versatile and can be used in a variety of OT applications such as process control, machine automation, data acquisition, and monitoring systems. Its reliability and security features make it particularly valuable in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure.
The integration of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls with Siemens IPC BX-21A provides a powerful combination of advanced cybersecurity protection and robust industrial computing. This integration is particularly valuable in operational technology (OT) environments where security and reliability are critical. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how the VM-Series can be integrated with the Siemens IPC BX-21A to enhance security in industrial settings:
- Assessment of Network Architecture:
- Before integration, it’s important to assess the existing network architecture of the OT environment where the Siemens IPC BX-21A is deployed. This includes understanding the data flow, connectivity requirements, and potential security vulnerabilities.
- Installation of VM-Series on IPC BX-21A:
- The VM-Series firewall can be installed directly onto the Siemens IPC BX-21A if it meets the necessary hardware and software requirements. This typically involves setting up a Linux environment and a hypervisor (e.g. KVM) on the IPC BX-21A running the VM series firewall.
- Configuration and Setup:
- Configure the VM-Series firewall according to the specific security needs of the OT environment. This includes setting up security policies, threat prevention strategies, security service subscriptions, and segmentation rules to protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats.
- Network Integration:
- The choice between a transparent bump-in-the-wire (VWire) and routed (L3) mode depends largely on the specific requirements of the network environment in which the Siemens IPC BX-21A is integrated:
- VWire is preferred if the primary requirement is to add security without altering the existing network design or addressing. It’s particularly useful in critical infrastructure environments where minimal disruption is desired.
- L3 mode is suitable when the firewall needs to handle routing, connect disparate networks, or manage external communications with advanced features like VPN and NAT.
- Testing and Validation:
- Once installation and configuration are complete, conduct thorough testing to validate the security setup. Check for any potential gaps in coverage and ensure that the firewall effectively blocks malicious traffic while allowing legitimate communication.
- Monitoring and Maintenance:
- Implement ongoing monitoring to continually assess the security posture of the OT environment. The VM-Series firewall provides tools for real-time monitoring and reporting, which can be used to detect potential threats and anomalies.
- Enable security services to continuously update the firewall’s AI and ML detection engines to protect against new vulnerabilities and attack techniques.
- Multiple firewalls can of course be centrally managed through integration with an on-premise management server (Panorama)
- Leveraging Advanced Features:
- Utilize the advanced security features of the VM-Series, such as Advanced Threat Protection (to block attacks), Advanced WildFire (for malware prevention), and Advanced URL filtering and Advanced DNS security (to prevent malicious redirection and command-and-control) to enhance the security capabilities of the Siemens IPC BX-21A.
- Enable Industrial OT Security to identify OT/ICS assets, assess risk, prevent ICS-specific threats, and support segmentation and least-privilege access across industrial environments.
- Compliance and Documentation:
- Ensure that the integrated solution complies with relevant industry regulations and standards, documenting all processes and configurations for audit purposes.
By combining the Siemens IPC BX-21A’s industrial-grade reliability with the advanced cybersecurity features of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, organizations can achieve a highly secure and robust OT infrastructure. This integration not only protects critical industrial systems from cyber threats but also enables compliance with stringent regulatory data security requirements, maintaining operational integrity and resilience.
See the joint perspective from Siemens and Palo Alto Networks on what’s shaping the future of OT security. View the insights.
