Securing OT Environments
As organizations increasingly adopt digitization and automation, ensuring robust security for OT (Operational Technology) networks becomes a top priority. OT networks, which are vital to industrial operations, are inherently complex due to their distributed nature, multitude of devices, varied protocols, and reliance on diverse cloud platforms and applications. In this evolving landscape, the NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform simplifies the deployment and operation of IIoT and OT networks by offering a secure, scalable, and agile solution through its software-only, embeddable, and programmable Zero Trust platform. The platform can be deployed in three models: NetFoundry Cloud and NetFoundry Hybrid Cloud (both NaaS solutions), or NetFoundry On-Premise for self-hosted environments.
Addressing the Complexities of OT Networks
Addressing the Complexities of OT Networks
OT networks often involve a complex mix of devices, protocols, and communication methods that can create security challenges. With the rising tide of cyber threats, organizations must secure communication both within and outside the factory or site to protect against unauthorized access and cyber-attacks. This is where the NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform comes into play. By simplifying network security for IIoT and OT environments, NetFoundry helps organizations improve their security posture while maintaining the scalability and agility needed to support modern industrial operations.
Key Use Cases in IIoT and OT Environments
- Secure Communication Between the Edge and Any IOT / OT Platform, Enterprise or 3rd Party Cloud
One of the primary use cases for organizations using the NetFoundry IIoT Platform is securing data as it moves between the factory or site and the cloud. Machines connected via LAN networks to OT/IIoT gateways or edge devices can securely connect to cloud-based applications, storage, and APIs. The NetFoundry edge router or tunneler software initiates Zero Trust connections to these resources, whether hosted in public or private cloud data centers.For example, a company may use the NetFoundry platform to securely integrate with Azure Digital Twins or any other PaaS provider, ensuring that all data and communication are protected from unauthorized access.
- Secure Device Management and Remote Access for Engineers
OT and IIoT environments often involve hundreds or thousands of devices, sensors, and actuators. Managing these devices securely requires robust solutions that can establish secure connections between device management applications and the devices themselves. The NetFoundry IIoT Platform provides a highly secure Zero Trust network access solution that enables administrators to onboard engineers (both internal and external) and provide them with the least privilege access needed to perform their tasks.This feature is particularly useful when engineers need to securely access consoles, local applications, or SSH into devices using the internet as the underlay. The platform’s integration with identity providers like Microsoft Azure allows for seamless onboarding and access management. Temporary or permanent least privilege access can be provided with a combination of up to 5 different types of posture checks.
- Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communication within Factories or Sites
Factory and industrial environments often require secure communication between machines and devices across large areas. Common challenges include securing wireless or wired LAN networks from external threats, dealing with the lack of inherent security in communication protocols, and controlling access to critical information.With the NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform, factories can deploy edge routers and tunnellers on OT devices or IIoT endpoints to establish secure, Zero Trust access between machines or applications within the factory. Features like mTLS, end-to-end encryption, and identity certificates ensure that all M2M communication is authenticated and authorized.
NetFoundry Cloud Software for IIoT/OT Systems
Edge Compute Capabilities
Modern edge environments often require localized data processing and real-time decision-making capabilities to reduce dependency on internet connectivity. NetFoundry provides various software options to embed Zero Trust software-defined overlay networks at the OT and IIoT edge. The edge hardware can be any x86, ARM, or MIPS-based hardware running Linux, or it can be virtualized as VMs or containerized via Docker or Kubernetes.
In larger factories running private cloud environments, NetFoundry’s edge routers can be deployed on VMs to handle high-volume data and sessions. Alternatively, NetFoundry tunnellers can be installed on OT/IIoT gateways or any host, VM, or container involved in the solution.
Integrating NetFoundry with OT/IIoT Gateways
OT and IIoT electronics manufacturers or enterprises implementing these solutions can embed NetFoundry’s tunnellers or edge routers onto their hardware, including OT/IIoT gateways, industrial PCs (IPCs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and other industrial automation hardware. The choice between a router and a tunneler depends on various factors such as functionality requirements, traffic expectations, and hardware specifications.
One Platform, Multiple Use Cases—All Secure by Design
The use cases discussed above can be deployed within a single network on the NetFoundry Cloud platform. Each network receives its own dedicated controller and global fabric, allowing the same NetFoundry software to be deployed across public and private clouds, edge devices, OT/IIoT gateways, and user devices.
Key security features include:
- No open inbound IPs or ports: The NetFoundry Cloud solution does not require customers to open ports or inbound IPs anywhere, making the private overlay and edge undiscoverable to bad actors on the internet.
- Least privilege access and no default services: After authentication, any identity in the network must be authorized to access a service. Administrators can provision services with just the required access, rather than opening entire subnets or port ranges.
- Micro-segmented networks: Each network can have multiple micro-segmented networks (AppNets) within it, tailored to specific use cases or workloads.
- mTLS-based mutual trust: Mutual TLS-based control and data plane communication establish a foundation of trust between identities.
- End-to-end encrypted sessions: All sessions are encrypted end-to-end using Poly 1305 Cha Cha 20 encryption, ensuring that data remains secure between source and destination.
- Granular visibility: Metrics on utilization, service health, and events provide visibility for administrators and management, aiding in operations, decision-making, and even chargebacks to customers.
- Globally available fabric with smart routing: To mitigate internet peering and performance issues, NetFoundry provides a global fabric that can be extended to any geographic location. Smart routing automatically selects the best-performing path within the fabric, ensuring optimal performance.
Conclusion: A Future-Ready IIoT Platform for Secure OT Networks
The NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform offers a comprehensive, secure, and scalable solution for managing the complex demands of OT and IIoT networks. By embedding Zero Trust principles into every aspect of its architecture, NetFoundry enables organizations to protect their networks from external and internal threats, improve reliability, and enhance business agility. As industries continue to evolve toward more connected and automated operations, NetFoundry’s platform provides the robust foundation needed to secure the future of industrial environments.
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