Drives and Controls Magazine
Home
Menu
Customisable cyber-security system needs no downtime
Published:  14 July, 2014

Belden has announced a new generation of cyber-security systems for industrial control systems which, it says, offer a “unique” level of flexibility and customisation and will allow network managers to upgrade live systems easily, with minimal configuration and no downtime.

The Tofino Xenon firewall modules are designed to withstand harsh conditions, while maximising data security for production networks. They offer custom options, such as designated temperature ranges and software modules, and comply with global standards.

“The Tofino Xenon is highly customisable,” explains Eric Byres, chief technology officer for Belden’s Tofino Security business. “No matter the network engineer’s needs, this firewall can meet the security requirements of different protocols, industries and environments. It’s designed to be safely installed on a running network with no pre-configuration, and the hardware comes loaded with the required software. Our goal is for companies to build industrial security solutions their way.”

To configure and manage the Xenon appliances, Belden has released a complementary Windows-based management software program called Tofino Configurator (TC 2.0). Predefined templates allow the software to accommodate both basic and advanced network security needs. The software, which can be integrated with third-party security products, offers built-in guidance for easy, accurate rule creation by staff who may not be network security experts.

Belden's Tofino Xenon firewall module can be customised to suit the application

“We wanted to make the implementation process simple for both advanced users, and those just beginning to manage network security,” Byres says. “By using predefined templates, the TC 2.0 can intuitively propose a set of rules for the specific control products used in a facility. It meets each user where they are, to make industrial security easier to execute and manage.”

Tofino has also announced a loadable security module that inspects and analyses the content the EtherNet/IP protocol using Deep Packet Inspection, which understands the protocol and applies the appropriate filters to enforce proper security policies to offer fine-grained control of network traffic.