Siemens Opens IIoT Cyber Security Centers in Ohio & Germany

While scanning Automation.Com yesterday, I noticed what I think is a first in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and perhaps the CIM world... 

Siemens has opened Cyber Security Operations Centers in both North America and Europe. This need for a cyber security has been predicted here and I am happy to see the commitment from our friends at Siemens in this area. Their press release is below.

I know that Cisco and IBM are also looking at this area as Cloud, Mobile and Wireless IIoT are dependent upon robust and secure connectivity. 

I liken the time now to what we had in the late 1990's when everybody knew that e-Commerce would be a major internet app, but many didn't trust it with their credit card. It really to indemnification from the banks and good security practices (SSL, HTTPS, CAPTCHA, etc) to make our comfort level high enough to grow the business side. Today we all use it and it has allowed eBay and Amazon to flourish. I predict that IIoT will be pervasive in less than 5 years like these e-commerce technologies and apps we enjoy today. We are moving closer every day - thanks Siemens!   

Press Release:

March 17, 2016 - Siemens opened Cyber Security Operation Centers (CSOC) for the protection of industrial facilities in Lisbon, Munich and Milford, Ohio. Siemens industrial security specialists based at these sites monitor industrial facilities all around the world for cyber threats, warn companies in the event of security incidents and coordinate proactive countermeasures. These protective measures are part of Siemens' extensive Plant Security Services with which the enterprise supports companies in the manufacturing and processing industry in encountering constantly changing security threats and increasing plant availability.

The increased networking of industrial infrastructures ("Internet of Things", "Industrie 4.0") calls for appropriate protective action for the automation environment. This is where the Siemens Plant Security Services enter the picture: these services range from Security Assessments and the installation of protective measures, such as firewalls and virus protection (Security Implementation), through to the continuous surveillance of plants with the Managed Security Services, which is now offered by the CSOCs themselves. If the Siemens experts detect an increased risk, they give the customer an early warning, issue recommendations for proactive countermeasures and coordinate their implementation.

The countermeasures are based on the criticality of the incident and the likely impact on the customer's business. They include modifying firewall rules or providing updates for closing gaps in security. In addition, Siemens provides forensic analyses of security incidents. Companies are then in a position to prepare reports that comply with international standards such as ISO 27002 or IEC 62443. And that is not all – companies also receive a transparent view of their plants' security status. Siemens' Plant Security Services use products from the company's collaboration partner, Intel Security. These include: McAfee VirusScan, McAfee Application Control, McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) as well as McAfee Enterprise Security Manager with Security Information and Event Management.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and inter-nationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. In fiscal 2015, which ended on September 30, 2015, Siemens generated revenue of €75.6 billion and net income of €7.4 billion. At the end of September 2015, the company had around 348,000 employees worldwide. 

Source URL @ Automation.Com

We Need Focus To Grow & Sustain Manufacturing

Yesterday, my old friend A.J. Sweatt (formerly from Modern Machine Shop) started a Linkedin Manufacturing Blog with the above title. He started the discussion with: 

Right now, we need a clear vision, clearly enunciated, and easily understood. Instead, we get band-aids and myopia that seem to propel us farther away from the basic economic principals that gave us our manufacturing might in the first place.

His blog is at: http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&discussionID=173319289&gid=126939&trk=eml-anet_dig-b_nd-pst_ttle-cn&ut=0MtQjgSASxiBs1

Here is my response:

I care a lot about manufacturing and sustainability as you may know. We initially connected in the late 1990's when you were with Modern Machine Shop magazine and leading them into the digital age. At the time, I was at running Memex and gave you a demo whereby you could control a Fanuc 11M control over the Internet which was a world's first. Now years later, I wonder if the magic has left and familiarity has entered. My Dutch grandmother used to say that "God hides things by putting them near us", and I wonder if manufacturing is suffering from this to a degree.

People hear in the media quite a few negative aspects of manufacturing - such as pollution, layoffs, antiquated technology, waste, globalization, plant closings, out-sourcing, off-shoring, brown fields, stress, injuries, union strife, management greed, etc. Yet our standard of living is dependent on manufacturing once can see why it has been a less desirable choice for young people and an easy target for politicians to either rail against or ignore.

The truth is that manufacturing and the principles that run it are everywhere. Lean principles, reduction of waste, management practices and even sustainability are ideas that have made a real difference in this world. I would argue that manufacturing - done right - is the one of the greatest wealth producers (rather than wealth re-distributors) ever invented.

Our growing society wants to have abundance and enough for all. This laudable objective requires wealth creation, good stewardship and excellent systems. Thomas Jefferson once noted that "great wealth and great poverty cannot co-exist in a democracy".

Indeed, Konosuke Matsushuta the founder of Panasonic in Japan created in 1946 a "Peace and Happiness Through Prosperity" plan that understands the link between peace and the economic well-being (see http://www.php.co.jp/en/think.php). The PHP movement is quite large today by the way.

A few years ago I have started a group called "Peoplewerks Volunteer Association" to put people back to work one day at a time (www.peoplewerks.com). People need to have something meaningful to do, and enough money to live and fuel the economic engine (Henry Ford had it right).  The waste of a human resource is our world's worst oversight in my opinion.

In summary then, I believe that manufacturing in its broadest transformative context is the key to dream of enough for all in a sustainable way. We just feel better making the world a better place for others. I say let's manufacture the future together...