Perimeter Security & Network Segmentationt
Unauthorized communications between networks, as well as lateral movement between network parts, are prevented by the solution. Securing the boundary between industrial OT and corporate IT networks has long been a priority. This solution, on the other hand, is used to limit traffic flows between zones or segments within the OT network, as well as from external memory devices such as USBs brought into production environments.
Unidirectional Gateways (hardware data diodes and associated software) regulate the flow of data such that it can only move in one direction. Leakage and manipulation are prevented by the lack of two-way data communication. Unidirectional gateways ensure that data is reliably replicated into the enterprise IT/cloud environment without jeopardizing production.
Industrial firewalls defend network boundaries by enforcing a set of rules that allow or restrict traffic flow. Firewalls make decisions based on a variety of factors, including OT-specific protocols and deep packet inspection techniques (see DPI in anomaly detection). To meet the operating requirements of OT environments, industrial firewalls should be deployed on hardened and ruggedized hardware.
Many cyberattacks were carried into the industrial plant using a simple data stick. A technique for the irreversible removal or destruction of data saved on a memory device or in hard copy form is known as USB sanitization or data sanitization goods. Hard drives, flash memory/SSDs, mobile devices, CDs, DVDs, and other memory devices are examples. Outside of the OT production setting, service kiosks are frequently used, where the USB or other device can be inserted and scanned. The kiosk is a ruggedized PC/tablet that scans and certifies the contents of the device using several antivirus engines and maybe Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) technology.
After the scan, the clean device (or a certified clean replica) can be safely transported into the production environment.
We limit the attack area that a single system can reach by separating the network into many logical networks and restricting access between them. The Purdue Model, which is based on the Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture (PERA) framework, is a widely regarded reference model for dividing this information. Purdue isn't a new company; it was founded in the late 1980s. Purdue has been developed, revised, and inspired succeeding standards since then. It provides the core language for security regulatory controls in control systems, as defined by standards such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP800-82 benchmarks.
For many years, OT/ICS industrial networks have used defense in depth and network zoning/segmentation as best practices. Strategic segmentation is more crucial than ever as traditional perimeters grow more porous and more OT assets and IIoT are connected.
