Let’s dive into the functionality, importance, conceptions and factors to secure an IIoT network. Why exactly did the IIoT become so important? How is it most needed for combating secrecy? 

According to an article published in itransition,

“Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) refers to integrating IoT technology (sensors, actuators, internet-connected devices) with manufacturing equipment to automate and improve industrial processes.”

Cybersecurity is one of the primary reasons for any threats to be identified and understanding any security concerns or issues with the networks or servers that the industries think they are securely using for exchanging information.

Industrial IoT devices are used to create new cybersecurity risks to address financial concerns.

The concept of IIoT networks is not new but it has been evolving for over two decades with advanced technologies for facilitating machine-to-machine communication. The efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness are improved due to the collection and analysis of data.

How did IIoT come into conception?

According to InterSec,

IIoT came into the scenario with the advancement of the notorious Triton malware attack, targeting the safety systems in industrial facilities.

In 2017, the first Triton malware attack, also known as TRISIS or HatMan, was discovered due to its target cyberattack at a petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia. The attack was focused on Triconex Safety Instrumented System (SIS) controllers, designed for safe operations in industrial environments.

The complete processes were shut down due to the detection of dangerous conditions. The plant’s networks were infiltrated by the attackers who gained access to the SIS controllers, to modify the configurations for potentially causing catastrophic physical damage.

The cyberattack failed due to an error in the attackers’ code. The facility was shut down before any significant harm could occur.

The sudden attack sent an urgent message about the importance of robust IIoT security measures. The need for continuous monitoring of the real-time data, remote controlling the less human intervention, enhancing the monitoring, optimization, and energy-saving potential with valuable data-driven insights and automation.

The resilience of industrial systems needs to be improved with robust IIoT security.

Factors Contributed to an Industrial IoT Network

According to Datalns Network Inc,

The key factors involved in securing an Industrial IoT Network to address the major challenges of cyberattacks are:-

1. Risk Assessment: A comprehensive analysis and assessment of the risk needs to be conducted to single out the potential threats and vulnerabilities.
2. Network Segmentation: The IoT devices need to be segregated into separate network segments to ceil the attack surface so that the breach impact can be minimized.
3. Access Control: A strong control on accessing the networks with authentication and authorization, is mandatory for ensuring that only authorized personnel get the correct access to IoT devices and networks.
4. Data Encryption: The data in transit needs to be protected to be used with encryption protocols such as TLS/SSL.
5. Regular Updates: It’s just like our software devices, the IoT devices need to be addressed by updating and patching firmware for security measures.
6. Monitoring and Intrusion Detection: The abnormal behaviors need to be monitored continuously and also continuous detection to handle any potential security incidents.
7. Physical Security: The IoT devices and infrastructure need to be secured to prevent any theft.
8. Vendor Security: The IoT device vendors need to be evaluated for any security issues from their manufacturers.
9. Behavior Analysis: The identification of the anomalies is important for any security breach.
10. Security policies and Training: The employees and contractors need to be provided with sufficient training on industrial IoT security.
11. Regulatory Compliance: It is important in industry-specific regulations to govern IoT security.
12. Zero Trust Architecture: It means to emphasize mandatory verification and not trust it without the verifications being completed.

Conclusion

In my opinion, IIoT networks are known for their production efficiency, streamlined manufacturing processes, and enhanced decision-making capabilities. The automotive and agriculture industries are revolutionized with real-time data exchange and insights.

The industrial landscape was transformed by organizations to predict machines needed for maintenance, customizing products on a large scale, and also decentralizing decision-making abilities.

As we can see, Industry 4.0 is here for the transformation of the broader movement by converting industries with digital technologies. An IIoT-enabled network is quite complex and much needed for the importance of combating cybercrime and threats in the industrial environment.

Sources:- techtarget, itransition, asimily, cyngn