Protected and Safe
Cybersecurity: Combined Functional Safety and IT Security
Today, industrial plants are more at risk than ever before. Just a few years ago it was enough for plants to be functionally safe. However, the reality of today presents new challenges for facilities: plants now have to be protected against cyber attacks. In a time where office networks and industrial automation are growing, hackers can exploit any weaknesses in security, potentially putting plants at risk of serious damage. Hackers can remotely manipulate, control, and even destroy plants. The answer: safety-related automation solutions, which in addition to safety also support security.
Today the international standard IEC 62443 requires separate network levels with defined transitions (conduits). Complete solutions from HIMA support this. They protect you against cyber attacks in all important areas, including: hardware, operating systems, networks, and engineering.
IT security from HIMA offers protection on three levels: hardware, operating systems and networks, and engineering.
How to Ensure Security with HIMA
With the HIMax safety controller you safeguard your plant in terms of IT security. The reason: with the HIMA controller, safety application and communication are separate from each other. This means you can operate separate networks, and cyber-safe operation of your plant is still ensured, even when the external communication is attacked. HIMax protects against undesired accesses to the automation network from the programming environment. Another advantage of this is that you can deactivate Ethernet connections that you do not use.
HIMax cybersecurity has received the Achilles Level 1 security certification, which is awarded by the independent Canadian organization Wurldtech.
Firewalls can be easily integrated for HIMA operating systems and networks. After all, the communication is based on established Ethernet standards. Moreover, the systems only allow communication services that are really important and thus minimize the danger that can be associated with unimportant services. In addition to this you can conveniently monitor and analyze networks via "port mirroring". You maintain complete control over everything that occurs in your system, meaning you can block reloads, or only permit the reading of data. With the aid of checksums you detect any manipulations of your plant at the earliest possible point in time.
SILworX software is an all-in-one integrated configuration, programming, and diagnostics tool. You can protect critical function blocks, as well as protecting access to projects through passwords. Password changes do not require recertification of a plant. The software is protected through checksums. If the installation was modified by SILworX, the tool cannot be opened, i.e. code generation cannot be started.
Rely on Cybersecurity from HIMA for Your Safety-Critical System
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Standards-Compliant
With cybersecurity solutions from HIMA you meet the requirements of IEC 62443.
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Versatile
The solutions can be used in a wide variety of applications.
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Separate
Security systems and process control systems are independent of each other and are therefore secure.
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Independent
HIMA safety systems use their own operating system.
References, News, and Events
Your HIMA Contact
The requirements imposed on IT security are in a constant state of flux. Consequently, our cybersecurity experts are on the cutting edge of developments and know precisely how cybersecurity and functional safety must interact.