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UPDATE #19

• Summary

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In this issue:

• Integrated Architecture capabilities expanded with ControlLogix® redundancy
• Next-generation Safety Relays
• New Drives and Motion Accelerator Toolkit
• MCCs with Embedded EtherNet/IP Capabilities
• Power Option Bay provides a cost-effective solution
• New HART modules simplify commissioning, operation and maintenance
• EtherNet/IP connectivity offers seamless and transparent data flow and sharing
• PlantPAx Process Automation System Release 2.0 offers multiple enhancements
• Process solutions set the standard
• Creating a baseline to maximise asset performance
• FactoryTalk AssetCentre V 4.0 now available
• Historian now offers native connectivity to OSIsoft PI system

How secure is your automation solution?

The Stuxnet virus discovered in some industrial control systems last summer very rapidly raised awareness of the importance of industrial security. Although it was targeted at a very small subset of locations and applications, other users of automation solutions should not get complacent as to the security of their own infrastructure.
Even though Stuxnet was targeted at particular hardware, in certain applications in specific geographical locations, its level of complexity raises many questions when it comes to security. The emergence of open networks and operating systems in industrial environments has manufacturers assessing the risks associated with unauthorised access to factory automation control systems.

Rockwell Automation understands the importance of security and works with our customers to help them understand the risks and determine the best approach to cost-effectively meet their security needs. By assessing, designing, implementing and maintaining security, we can help to provide a high level of risk mitigation and a continued understanding of the risk in the customer’s environment.

As people know, malware on home computers can do many things, but it can be protected against using specialist security software. In a similar way, in an industrial environment, the right security software and procedures can help to: protect Intellectual Property (IP); avoid malicious attacks by hackers; help ensure safe and sustainable production, maintain Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), increase resiliency and robustness; help ensure compliance with industry, regulatory and international standards; and provide secure access.

Like many security programmes, prevention is better than a cure – it is best not to present an opportunity for a security breach in the first place. For this reason, Rockwell Automation recommends five simple, actionable steps to achieve industrial security:
• Control who has access
• Employ firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention
• Patch and update your system
• Manage your passwords
• Turn the processor key(s) to Run mode

Because our solutions have the capability to connect process control and discrete control systems together, and then link these into larger enterprise-level systems, we can help you address industrial security from a system approach throughout your Integrated Architecture based plant-wide control systems. We have adopted specific design-for security development practices into our product and system development process and we continue to expand the physical, cyber and IP protection mechanisms in control products to simultaneously advance the security and safety of the industrial control system.

Our FactoryTalk software solution includes FactoryTalk® Security, which delivers centralised authentication and access control by verifying the identity of each user accessing critical systems and then grants or denies their requests to perform actions based on their level of access; FactoryTalk AssetCentre, which helps provide security by controlling which users can access an application and what actions they can perform; and FactoryTalk® View Human Machine Interface Software, which features a security code-based system that determines each user’s level of access.

Our RSLogix Programming Software also features inherent capabilities that can be configured for more security, such as the protection of control routines lockdown capabilities; while our Allen-Bradley industrial computer family offer enhanced security features to make managing security easier and more efficient.

We also think it is essential to cultivate relationships with network infrastructure vendors like Cisco and other security-enabling Encompass partners to help enhance industrial security and provide guidelines, recommendations and practical advice for reducing operational risk. Because of this we can offer experienced field consulting services to assess, recommend and help implement solutions that enhance control system security.

We provide many free resources to help you with your security concerns.
Two websites www.rockwellautomation.com/security and www.ab.com/networks/architectures.html give guidelines and methodologies and we also offer our Network & Security Services (NSS) to help you comply with security-oriented regulations and standards www.rockwellautomation.com/services/security/NSS is a Rockwell Automation consulting team, which provides insight, support, leadership and guidance to design and implement a complete security deployment plan.

For more information, please e-mail us at: info_update@ra.rockwell.com ref: 'Industrial Security'.