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Cybersecurity must be taken seriously. A study by Palo Alto Networks shows that no less than 98% of IIoT traffic is unencrypted and that almost 60% of devices are vulnerable to cyber attacks. It is therefore more important than ever for the industry to protect itself against these cyber attacks. With the Ewon Cosy+ from HMS Networks, Bintz Technics offers a new generation of industrial VPN routers that take IIoT cybersecurity to the next level. State-of-the-art hardware security allows users to remotely and securely commission and programme industrial installations or even troubleshoot problems. This significantly reduces the risk of cyber attacks.
Connected devices have become an integral part of our society. If you consider how many computers and IoT devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, cameras, speakers, home automation systems, etc., we use today and compare that with, say, three years ago, you will immediately notice the difference. This means that the importance of security has also increased significantly. “While traditional IT has reached a certain level of maturity, the rapid growth of the IoT has led to an increase in the number of cases of incorrect security implementations. With IoT devices, security must start the moment they are switched on,” says sales engineer Bram Baetens of Bintz Technics. “Executing trusted and authentic code starts with securely booting the device. Secure Boot ensures that only software validated by the manufacturer can be executed. Without this process, it would be possible, for example, to load modified operating systems or manipulated software if one could interfere between the different boot phases. The new Ewon Cosy+ industrial VPN router from HMS Networks offers a completely secure boot sequence, ensuring that only program code approved by Ewon is executed. The verification chain consists of public and private keys, combined with a digital signature. Only when these elements match is the bootloader loaded. If this verification chain is interrupted for any reason, the device will not start up.‘
HMS Network is a market leader in providing solutions for industrial information and communication technology (Industrial ICT) and develops products under the Ewon® brand, which has been the first choice for industrial remote access solutions for twenty years. More than 300,000 devices worldwide are connected via the Talk2M cloud platform, making Ewon the clear number one in industrial remote access connectivity. Bintz Technics is responsible for the distribution of the products in Belgium and Luxembourg. “With the Ewon Cosy+, the successor to the successful Ewon Cosy 131, HMS Networks introduced a new generation of industrial VPN routers that take IIoT cybersecurity to the next level. In addition to its performance and ease of use, this new development excels in particular thanks to its state-of-the-art hardware security. This router was designed in accordance with ISO207001 guidelines. Thanks to a collaboration with the cybersecurity specialists at Nviso, Ewon can offer a solution that has been tested according to the strictest IIoT security standards,” explains Baetens. “The combination of the Talk2M industrial cloud platform with the Cosy+ and integrated hardware security allows users to remotely and securely commission and program industrial installations or even perform fault diagnostics. This reduces machine downtime. It also saves time and money because technicians do not have to make unnecessary trips for interventions. The productivity of the technicians is therefore significantly improved.”
Product safety is very important to the specialists at Ewon. That is why a ‘Secure Element’ has been integrated into this new Cosy+, adding an extra layer of security at the hardware level. The so-called ‘Hardware Root of Trust’ is a fundamental component for a secure device start-up cycle. This means that the installation is very well protected against cyber attacks.
