Today technology company Siemens launched SINEC Secure Connect, a zero trust security platform designed specifically for operational technology (OT) networks. The software solution:
- Virtualizes network structures using overlay networks.
- Enables Machine-to-Machine, Machine-to-Cloud, and Machine-to-Datacenter connections, plus secure remote access to industrial systems without traditional VPNs.
- Protects shop floor devices using SINEC Secure Connect from unauthorized external access while maintaining the necessary operational connectivity.
- Enables flexible deployment options, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid configurations.
- Utilizes a built-in redundancy that makes it suitable for high-availability industrial environments, regardless of existing infrastructure constraints. Unlike complex firewall-based approaches, its deployment flexibility is enhanced by simplified network administration that requires only outbound connections, eliminating the configuration management associated with traditional OT security solutions.
- Establishes end-to-end encrypted, identity-verified connections between authorized devices while protecting industrial systems from unauthorized external access. Unlike traditional VPN approaches that create broad network access, SINEC Secure Connect implements granular, policy-based controls that prevent lateral movement, while reducing the administrative complexity of IP-based machine management and enabling compliance with IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards.
- Integrates with the current SCALANCE portfolio for OT networks from Siemens, allowing companies to reuse their existing equipment.
Industrial operators are facing mounting pressure not just from security threats but also from the administrative complexity of current solutions. “Traditional network security approaches struggle with the convergence of IT and OT systems, creating vulnerabilities when industrial systems connect to cloud services, remote access points, and external partner networks,” says Michael Metzler, Vice President of Horizontal Management Cybersecurity for Digital Industries at Siemens.