Is your business cyber-secure? Secure terminal equipment is the start!

Cybercrime can get a company into big trouble: inaccessibility of the site, loss of data, damage to image ... Good security is crucial, not only for large companies, but certainly also for SMEs and the smaller self-employed. Anyone who makes their end devices - switches, routers, APs ... - secure or buys secure products, who in other words works with solutions that comply with the IEC 62443 standard, prevents cybercrime. Technolec (Temse), Moxa's official distributor for Belgium and Luxembourg, offers many innovative solutions for a cyber-secure production environment.

We face cybercrime on a daily basis. Recently, a Belgian aviation company remained closed for several weeks after a cyber attack. They come in different shapes and sizes - from a computer virus or a hack to a DDoS attack, for example targeting energy supplies or other vital systems - and pose a risk to individual internet users, the operation of companies, even national security. “With the growing popularity of industrial IoT (IIoT), more and more devices are connected to networks. This increases the risk of cybercrime and security threats,” said Karel Mus, general manager of Technolec. “Every device added to a network creates a potential weak point, allowing attackers to gain access to the network. Cybersecurity is therefore a top priority for companies and even governments.”

IEC 62443 is the standard for cybersecurity solutions, through which stakeholders aim to deploy secure devices and networks for industrial applications.

The IEC 62443 standard

In July 2016, the European Parliament published guidelines to be followed in order to prevent cyber attacks. Today, these form the basis for IEC 62443, a standard for cybersecurity solutions, through which the various stakeholders aim to deploy secure devices and networks for industrial applications. This standard continuously evolves to provide up-to-date security guidelines and a list of best practices for different parts of a network. It also includes information for individuals performing different responsibilities on the network to protect against known security breaches and unknown attacks. ‘The ultimate goal is to help improve network security, but also to optimise industrial automation and security settings of controllers,’ the general manager indicates. “Consequently, many system integrators (SOIs) today require component suppliers to comply with IEC 62443-4-2, which deals with the security of end devices. This subsection of the standard is composed of basic requirements, including identification and authentication control, usage control, data integrity and confidentiality. It comes down to making the individual end devices that make up the network, such as switches, routers, APs ... secure or buy secure, in other words compliant with IEC 62443-4-2.”

Moxa and Technolec enter the fray

Moxa offers several solutions to prevent cybercrime. For example, the specialist supplies hardened devices with built-in security functions that verify users at login, encrypt connections during configuration and management, or verify which devices are allowed to access a network and which are allowed to communicate with others. The network management software MXview can be used to visualise in a simple and clear way whether devices meet the security level of the IEC 62443-4-2 standard. Finally, Moxa ensures a secure network infrastructure with network segmentation, secure data communication and filtering, and secure remote access. “We advise customers on choosing appropriate routers and firewalls and let them discover the network management software via a trial licence,” says Mus of distributor Technolec. “However, the product remains secondary to the solution. We always look for the most efficient and high-quality solution for every automation issue. Many times our range includes the necessary components and products, but we also always propose alternatives.”