IT security for operative technologies.
Industrial manufacturing is based on the pillars of information and operational technology: in short, IT and OT. IT tasks include data processing and strategic planning of production on the company level, whereas OT handles specific control of the individual production lines and equipment. Both areas work towards the same company goals, though using essentially different working principles and procedures.
The digitalisation trend of recent decades has brought with it not only great opportunities for productivity, but also the necessity of close cooperation between the two areas. This can be made more difficult with respect to IT security due to differing requirements of the two areas as well as different priorities and demands on processes or results.
Satisfying IT and OT
Therefore one key requirement for IT security products and services is not to impede productive and harmonious cooperation between IT and OT. Security measures are especially helpful in this relationship if they mean the least possible intervention in proven strategies and accustomed sequences on both sides and can meet both security and freedom requirements.
The core function of the W&T Microwalls is just that: on one hand they protect individual network sectors in a targeted and controllable way, namely by using a whitelist to allow only individually selected and expressly desired communication. This works without affecting other network sectors. On the other hand they open up protected free areas where production processes can continue unimpeded.
All Microwalls involve minimal integration effort since the desired filter rules are quickly created simply by specifying an IP address or port number. The Microwall Bridge even allows non-intervention integration into the IP configuration of the network sectors to be protected, making it ideal as an add-on and low-effort security enhancement.
Enable only selected communication: create the desired filter rules in just a few clicks.
Simple integration and targeted protection on one hand, the needed free areas on the other – the W&T Microwalls meet the needs of IT and OT equally.
