The DYNICS team kicked off the summer with a busy schedule, traveling to states such as Ohio, Alabama, and Georgia to meet with a variety of operators. And as we do each month, we have a brand-new takeaway to share. It seemed that throughout June we were again and again having conversations about the importance of control in manufacturing settings. Beyond that, we found ourselves helping to define what control actually means and why it takes a comprehensive approach featuring both software and hardware solutions. Here’s a preview of what we had to share.
What is Control?
As a controls person in a facility, the whole goal is to gain, keep, and maintain command of your domain. In cybersecurity terms, this means wrangling the attack surface. Essentially, the attack surface is all the systems within your ownership that could be at risk of or targeted by a threat actor or threat group. And as we have learned through breach cases, the attack surface certainly includes the plant floor. Take the Clorox incident for instance. Last year, the cleaning products giant was forced to temporarily shut down systems when it was hit by a cyberattack. This caused the company to experience significant disruptions, including product shortages. In turn, the whole event cost the company over $49 million.
Such an attack not only has financial implications, but reputational as well. If you can’t get your product out on shelves, another company will. So, it all comes back to focusing on the attack surface, i.e. achieving control. To do so, the overall steps are to a) limit communication in and out of the surface, b) have visibility into the communication that is allowed, c) ensure protection, and then d) have a segmentation of the different network areas. Lastly, it’s crucial to have a recovery plan in place just in case. Should something happen, you can strategize how to best get back up and running, which includes implementing tools that prioritize efficiently, cost, and speed with the least complications possible.
Software and Hardware
In addition to offering the benefits of efficiency, cost, speed, and ease, DYNICS’ tools cover both software and hardware needs. We have seen utilities that have invested in an IT cybersecurity solution. The problem there is that these solutions oftentimes only have a three to five year lifespan, meaning that it is then on operators to stay on top of replacing them. Because we come from a manufacturing lineage, we understand and come in with a ten-year-plus mindset when designing the operational viability of our hardware. Plus, we make them right here in America so that we are close to the process and face fewer interruptions. Therefore, we provide you with software that keeps control at the forefront, but also pairs with our hardware that promises longer term functionality.
Sources:
- “Clorox Says Cyberattack Costs Exceed $49 Million” – Eduard Kovacs, Security Week
https://www.securityweek.com/clorox-says-cyberattack-costs-exceed-49-million/
