Cybersecurity

“High plant availability and process safety are top priorities. Cybersecurity makes a decisive contribution to this.“

Christoph Spiegel,
Strategic Product Manager,
Cybersecurity Expert

Here you will find our main cybersecurity website.

Cybersecurity – Well prepared for tomorrow’s threats

“Process Industry 4.0” is based on various technologies, one of which is the use of previously unused sensor data from the field level for plant monitoring and optimisation. With the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) and the Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS), two reference architectures have already been established for this. They allow the automation systems (operational technology, OT) to be interconnected more easily and flexibly with the superordinate IT systems. However, the IT/OT convergence achieved in this way results in new requirements for cybersecurity, as process plants and critical infrastructures are no longer isolated systems. To guarantee plant availability and process safety and to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the data at all times, the plants must be specifically protected.

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Cybersecurity in process automation environments

Key terminology, IEC 62443, cybersecurity consulting

Plant availability and process safety

Cybersecurity in the process industries ensures process safety and plant availability - the be-all and end-all for every process plant. We ensure process safety with our functionally safe measuring devices. These devices have SIL (Safety Integrity Level) according to IEC 61508 or IEC 61511. In addition, cybersecurity ensures that these safety functions cannot be compromised. We achieve high availability of our products through a robust design of the electronics and software.

Plant availability and process safety are top priorities in the development and implementation of our products.

Confidentiality

Cybersecurity ensures that plain text data is only available to persons or systems that have the appropriate authorisation. Confidentiality is an important security objective, especially for process data like product consumption or time series data

Especially in combination with the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and cloud-based software solutions, it is demanded that the exchanged process data is strongly encrypted.

The more different systems are networked with each other, the more important is the confidentiality of data and the protection against unauthorised access.

Data integrity

When transmitting data between process instruments, automation and IT systems, it is important that the process data and device settings cannot be manipulated. We ensure this by using modern interfaces and cryptographic procedures according to the current state of the art, especially when it comes to wireless interfaces.

Data integrity protects against manipulation and sabotage and in turn ensures plant availability and process reliability.

Compliance with standards and guidelines

Our product development is based on the IEC 62443 standard. In doing so, KROHNE is laying another foundation stone for the development of safe products. Particularly within the European Union, compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) is a further step towards increased safety – including in the process industry.

Ultimately, cybersecurity can only be ensured by taking a holistic view of the system. Take advantage of our know-how. Together with our long-standing partners, we will be happy to advise you.