Zero Trust in OT: Why Industrial Solution Providers Must Evolve Their Approach to Connectivity

The major industrial solution and equipment providers, also known as the “big industrials,” including Siemens AG, General Electric (GE), Schneider Electric, Honeywell, ABB, Rockwell Automation, Mitsubishi Electric, Emerson Electric, and Hitachi are at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions that power the critical infrastructure and operations of industries worldwide. 

These organizations design and deploy connected products in operational technology (OT) environments, allowing for remote access, real-time data collection, predictive analytics, automation, and performance optimization. However, the convergence of OT with IT, driven by Industry 4.0 and IIoT, brings significant cybersecurity risks. The traditional security models for OT systems, which rely heavily on perimeter security, are no longer sufficient, leaving connected products exposed to internet-based threats.

Why Are Industrial Products So Vulnerable in OT Environments?

As industrial products become more connected in OT environments, they are increasingly exposed to cyber threats that were once confined to traditional IT systems. There are several business drivers for the increases in security vulnerabilities:

Convergence of IT and OT: As OT systems have become more interconnected with IT systems and the internet, they face similar cyber threats to traditional IT environments. This convergence creates new vulnerabilities, especially when older OT devices—initially designed for isolated, controlled networks—are connected to the internet without adequate security updates.

Legacy Systems and Outdated Protocols: Many OT environments continue to rely on legacy systems and outdated communication protocols that lack built-in security measures. These protocols, like Modbus or DNP3, were never designed for the complex, interconnected landscape we see today. When exposed to the internet, these systems can be easily exploited by attackers.

Wide Attack Surface: Industrial equipment connected to the internet significantly broadens the attack surface for malicious actors. Since many connected devices operate with minimal security configurations, unauthorized access can lead to devastating outcomes, including operational disruptions, data breaches, and safety hazards.

Inadequate Perimeter-Based Security: Traditional security models in OT environments depend heavily on perimeter defenses such as firewalls and VPNs. However, once an attacker penetrates these barriers, they have access to the entire network. This lack of granular control within the OT environment increases the risk of lateral movement and internal breaches.

How Zero Trust Connectivity Solves These OT Vulnerabilities

Zero Trust connectivity shifts away from perimeter-based security models to an approach where every user, device, and system must be continuously authenticated and authorized, regardless of their location. Embedding Zero Trust connectivity into industrial products provides a new layer of defense that addresses many of the vulnerabilities discussed above.

1. Eliminates Implicit Trust: Traditional networking assumes that devices within a network are trustworthy. Zero Trust connectivity removes this assumption. Every connection is considered untrusted until it is verified, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
2. Microsegmentation and Least Privilege Access: Zero Trust networking segments network access down to the application and service level, ensuring that users and devices only have access to the specific resources they need. This limits lateral movement within OT environments, significantly reducing the risk of widespread damage in case of a breach.
3. End-to-End Encryption: With Zero Trust, data transmission is encrypted from end to end, ensuring that sensitive data cannot be intercepted or manipulated. This is especially critical in industrial settings where data integrity is essential for safe operations.
4. Built-in Security for Industrial Products: Embedding Zero Trust directly into industrial products ensures that security is “baked in” from the start. This approach allows connected devices to securely interact with each other and the cloud, without relying on external IT or OT security infrastructure.

Why an Embedded Approach Is Superior

When Zero Trust is embedded into industrial products, it provides manufacturers with several key advantages:

1. Independence from IT and OT Cybersecurity Infrastructure: Traditionally, industrial systems have depended on external IT and OT infrastructure for security measures like firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems. However, these measures are not foolproof and often lag behind the innovation cycle. Embedding Zero Trust within industrial products ensures that each device maintains its own security, independent of external controls.
2. Simplified Security Management: By embedding Zero Trust into products, industrial manufacturers can reduce the complexity of managing security across multiple environments. This also eliminates the need for separate cybersecurity teams to handle device-level security, freeing up resources for innovation and product development.
3. Protection Beyond the Perimeter: In traditional security models, once the network perimeter is breached, all devices are exposed. Embedded Zero Trust ensures that even if one device or system is compromised, attackers cannot move laterally across the network. Every connection requires authentication, authorization, and encryption, making it nearly impossible for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities across systems.
4. Reduced Dependency on Perimeter Security: Embedded Zero Trust diminishes the reliance on perimeter-based security measures, which are often costly and ineffective against sophisticated cyber threats. With Zero Trust, the focus is on securing individual devices and their interactions, providing a more resilient and scalable approach to securing OT environments.

How NetFoundry Protects Industrial Providers with Built-In Security

NetFoundry helps Industrial Solution and Equipment Providers by offering embedded Zero Trust connectivity to secure their products in OT environments. This ensures that their connected devices, such as industrial equipment and smart factory systems, are protected against cyber threats without relying on traditional perimeter security measures. NetFoundry’s solutions provide secure, scalable, and software-defined networking, allowing providers to remotely manage devices, securely collect data for predictive maintenance, and enable secure machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. This approach reduces the need for external cybersecurity infrastructure and ensures that security is built directly into the product.

Here is a summary of the key use cases for NetFoundry’s zero trust connectivity platform in OT environments, focusing on solving customer problems and enabling business models:

1. Secure Remote Management of OT Hardware/Software

• Problem: Solution providers need to manage, troubleshoot, or update OT devices remotely.
• Solution: NetFoundry’s zero trust platform enables secure remote access to OT devices without exposing the network, ensuring continuous operations and compliance in highly regulated industries.

2. Data Collection for Cloud-Based Analytics (OT-to-Cloud)

• Problem: Customers require secure data transfer from OT environments to cloud platforms for predictive maintenance, AI, digital twins, and data analysis.
• Solution: NetFoundry securely connects OT devices to cloud environments, allowing data from smart connected products to be sent to the cloud for analysis without compromising security. This enables solution providers to offer value-added SaaS services to customers based on collected data.

3. Enabling Secure M2M Communication within OT Environments

• Problem: Machines and devices within the OT environment need to communicate securely with each other to coordinate industrial operations.
• Solution: With NetFoundry, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is secured using microsegmentation and zero trust principles. The platform ensures secure, authenticated, and authorized communication between OT devices, reducing the risk of lateral attacks.

4. Secure Network Access for Third-Party Vendors or Service Providers

• Problem: Vendors and service providers need temporary, secure access to OT environments for configuration, maintenance, or troubleshooting.
• Solution: NetFoundry offers secure, role-based access to OT networks with least privilege and temporary permissions, ensuring that third-party engineers can only access the specific systems or data they need, without exposing the broader network.

5. Secure Multi-Tenant Management Services (SaaS) for OT Environments

• Problem: Solution providers managing multiple customers’ OT environments struggle with secure, scalable multi-tenant management.
• Solution: NetFoundry’s platform allows solution providers to create and manage secure, multi-tenant environments with a programmable, zero trust architecture, facilitating seamless, secure connectivity between the OT systems and the cloud.

6. OT to Cloud Connectivity

• Problem: Secure connectivity is required between OT devices (e.g., PLCs, SCADA, DCS) and the cloud for operations like data storage, processing, and advanced analytics.
• Solution: NetFoundry’s zero trust overlay securely connects OT devices to any public or private cloud, enabling seamless data transfer and integration with cloud applications like ERP and AI platforms, even in remote or distributed environments.

7. Regulatory Compliance and Data Privacy

• Problem: Industries with strict regulations (energy, utilities, manufacturing) need to maintain compliance with data privacy and security laws while operating in OT environments.
• Solution: NetFoundry’s zero trust architecture ensures data integrity and privacy by default, meeting the stringent regulatory requirements of industries such as energy, healthcare, and manufacturing.

8. VPN Replacement for Secure Remote Access

• Problem: Traditional VPN solutions are complex and offer limited scalability, posing a security risk in large OT networks.
• Solution: NetFoundry provides a VPN alternative with zero trust network access (ZTNA), eliminating the need for centralized VPNs and reducing exposure to lateral movement and unauthorized access.

9. Integration with Existing OT Infrastructure

• Problem: Businesses need to secure legacy OT systems (e.g., PLCs, SCADA) without a complete overhaul.
• Solution: NetFoundry’s solution can be embedded into existing OT and IIoT infrastructures, allowing organizations to implement zero trust security without replacing or significantly modifying their legacy systems.

10. Simplified and Centralized Network Management

• Problem: Managing multiple OT networks across distributed environments can be complex and prone to errors.
• Solution: NetFoundry simplifies OT network management with a centralized, cloud-native management console, providing visibility, control, and orchestration of secure connectivity across multiple OT environments.

These use cases show how NetFoundry’s zero trust connectivity platform can solve pressing problems in OT environments, such as securing M2M communications, enabling OT-to-cloud integration, and providing secure remote access for service providers. By embedding NetFoundry’s solution into smart connected products, manufacturers and industrial solution providers can ensure scalable, secure, and efficient operations across their OT networks.

NetFoundry’s Unique Capabilities for OT Environments

NetFoundry offers distinct advantages for industrial solution and equipment providers, particularly in OT environments where safety, availability, and compliance are paramount. Unlike traditional security approaches, NetFoundry’s Zero Trust connectivity is designed to meet the rigorous demands of OT environments in a way that others cannot. Here’s what sets NetFoundry apart:

1. Compliance with 62443 and Safety-First Requirements
   NetFoundry ensures that its solutions comply with the stringent IEC 62443 standard, focusing on safety, availability, integrity, and confidentiality (SAIC). Unlike traditional IT security models that prioritize confidentiality (CIA), NetFoundry puts safety first, followed by availability, integrity, and then confidentiality. This order of priorities aligns with the unique requirements of OT environments where operational uptime and safety are critical.
2. High Availability in All Components
   To meet the availability requirements of industrial environments, NetFoundry’s infrastructure is designed for high availability across all components. This ensures there are no single points of failure, supporting continuous operations even in the most demanding OT environments where downtime is not an option.
3. Real-Time Communication with Industrial Protocols
   NetFoundry’s Zero Trust solution supports real-time communication for OT systems by enabling secure connectivity for Layer 2 traffic and industrial protocols. This is crucial for operations that require precise, timely data transmission and control in environments such as manufacturing and energy.
4. Support for Air-Gapped Environments
   Unlike many cloud-dependent solutions, NetFoundry is capable of operating in air-gapped environments, ensuring that critical OT systems can function securely without relying on the internet or cloud services. This is especially important for industries like energy and defense, where isolation from external networks is essential for maintaining operational security and compliance.

By integrating these unique features, NetFoundry delivers a secure, scalable, and reliable connectivity solution tailored specifically for OT environments, ensuring that industrial solution providers can achieve their security, compliance, and operational goals without compromising on performance or safety.

Zero Trust in OT

The shift to digitalization in industrial environments has brought immense benefits but also introduced unprecedented risks. Industrial solution providers must recognize the importance of improving their approach to secure networking and connectivity. As their products increasingly interact with the internet, the vulnerabilities exposed by traditional security models become more apparent.

By embedding Zero Trust connectivity into their products, industrial manufacturers can ensure that their devices are secure by design, independent of IT and OT cybersecurity infrastructure. This approach not only strengthens security but also simplifies management, reduces costs, and protects critical infrastructure from both external and internal threats.

As the industrial landscape continues to evolve, Zero Trust connectivity will play a pivotal role in securing the future of OT environments and ensuring the safety, resilience, and performance of connected products.