Protect industrial networks from cyber attacks

Cyber attacks have recently been paralysing companies' infrastructure and causing a great deal of damage. As a result, those affected are looking for solutions that can protect their processes against such cyber incidents. Other companies want to protect their networks proactively. At Moxa, they can find a range of solutions. Together with Karel Mus from distributor Technolec, we explain how Moxa provided a tailor-made solution for two different applications.

A cyber attack costs a company a lot of money. After all, the consequences cannot be resolved in a flash, and that causes downtime. That is why prevention is better than cure. 

“In order to pursue operational efficiency and availability, it is important to take cyber security into account,” says Karel Mus. “Moxa has developed various solutions. For example, industrial Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) devices (EtherCatch) and firewalls (EtherFire) can effectively combat intrusions and reduce their impact. Solutions such as MXview and Security Dashboard Console (CSC) allow remote and centralised management of the network infrastructure and enable cyber attacks to be traced.”

Protecting production lines

A manufacturer with production facilities around the world fell victim to a serious cyber attack. It took a lot of time and money to get the production sites back up and running normally. In addition to the heavy losses caused by the downtime, the company's reputation also took a serious hit. To avoid this, it is essential to ensure that the network is protected against interruptions and cyber attacks. The South Asian branch sought solutions to prevent these problems in the future. 

“Finding the right solution was not easy. After all, the new components could not interfere with the operation of the existing systems. In addition, a way had to be found to efficiently manage the devices in twenty production facilities and monitor all cyber incidents,” explains Mus. “Moxa proposed a combination of different solutions to provide comprehensive network security. To ensure maximum network performance, Moxa's Turbo Ring offers network recovery times of less than 50 ms. Ethercatch, the industrial Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) devices, help to effectively detect and counter cyber attacks. With MXview and Security Dashboard Console (SDC), customers can remotely and centrally manage all network equipment and track security incidents.”

Future-proof network security

A leading relay manufacturer is building new facilities to optimise its production lines and prepare for Industry 4.0. To proactively mitigate the increasing risk of cyber attacks and comply with government regulations, the manufacturer is investing in a solid foundation for its network infrastructure, ensuring that it is also equipped to meet tomorrow's challenges. 

 “The scale of the project poses a significant challenge, as the new production facilities are spread across four locations. There are a total of 46 production lines, each with 60 devices. What's more, this manufacturer's components are important for power generation. Any interruption in the production process is detrimental to the timely delivery of the relays and to the company's reputation. Network availability is therefore crucial,” says Karel Mus. “Here too, the Turbo Ring guarantees maximum network performance with recovery times of less than 50 ms. Moxa switches offer network redundancy and provide even better network security. Etherfire industrial IPS firewalls provide increased protection against cyber threats. With MXview and Security Dashboard Console (SDC), all network equipment in this application is also managed remotely and centrally, and security inc