For a long time, a well-locked and guarded production hall and analog security aspects provided sufficient protection in production. Up to now, networking was primarily between the individual machines within a production plant. However, digitalization and developments in automation are fundamentally changing this.

Systems, machines, processes and data are becoming increasingly interconnected. Production companies that want to remain competitive in the long term must follow this path. As a result, production is being opened up further and faster to the outside world for interactions via the internet and in the context of intelligent networks. Preparing for the smart factory in Industry 4.0 requires direct communication with different areas of the company or even across company boundaries. Managers also want reports, key figures and even access to the Scada level via mobile devices - preferably in real time. It is obvious that this opens up potential gaps and barn doors for security within the company. This is because previously well-sealed areas have to be opened up to the outside world. And this increases the security requirements enormously.

On the road to Industry 4.0, automation engineers have to overcome new challenges. Until now, automation networks were designed to be fail-safe and highly available. But with digitalization, the demand for cyber security is increasing all the time. Security gaps jeopardize productive availability. The economic damage that this can cause is enormous. If you want to move towards the smart factory, you absolutely need a successful cyber security concept.

But what steps need to be taken on the way to a secure Smart Factory? If you follow these three steps, you will be ready for the smart factory:

Security as a top issue
Security must be a top priority in highly networked companies. But the reality is different: many companies with networked production are not yet adequately protected. According to a survey conducted by Copa-Data, in which 228 companies were questioned, more than half of the companies rate the importance of IT security in production as medium to low. The use of outdated systems for which there are no longer any current security updates harbors enormous security gaps. According to the Copa-Data survey, around 20 percent of companies are inadequately protected against attacks. Only those who create more relevance for the topic of security can avoid economic risks and guarantee the competitive security of companies in the future.

Knowledge is power
Over the years, a clear distinction has been established between IT and automation technology. IT has long focused on security: the system must be secure against unauthorized access. Automation currently still often prioritizes reliability: the system must run smoothly. As long as automation processes were not accessible from the outside, reliability was rightly a priority: why disrupt the system with a software update that is not important for production? However, the attack surface has increased significantly. As a result, the reliability of entire production systems is also massively at risk. In order to keep a firm grip on the wheel, companies must therefore build up the knowledge for IT security or buy it in externally.

Identify and eliminate vulnerabilities
Networking and opening up to the outside world have made potential vulnerabilities more diverse. Internally, programs that are not up to date and interfaces or devices in the company network are the most common security vulnerabilities. However, employees who use weak passwords or are careless with them can also allow unauthorized access to your network. Externally, a poorly protected partner company can become a gateway. Security should therefore be a basic requirement for all digital contacts: Anyone who wants to be integrated into the corporate network must meet basic security standards, regardless of whether they are people, companies, hardware or software.

Current developments in the security landscape require a planned implementation of methods and security strategies. A precise analysis of possible security risks and the detection of security incidents go hand in hand with the creation of appropriate emergency plans. Security vulnerabilities, both technical and organizational, must be eliminated or at least actively monitored. This is how the productive potential of the smart factory can be realized. as