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Industrial network security test suite uses single interface
Published:  25 October, 2023

Siemens has launched an all-in-one security testing suite for industrial communications networks. The Sinec Security Inspector – originally developed by the company for use in its own factories – is a software framework that scans individual network devices, network segments or the entire network infrastructures during maintenance. It brings together “best-in-class” security tools in a single user interface.

Michael Metzler, vice-president of horizontal management cybersecurity at Siemens Digital Industries, says the new suite “brings a unique enhanced testing solution to the shopfloor and enables customers to check their entire IT/OT environment including all individual components”. They can “promptly discover risks and potential hazards which puts them in a position to swiftly mitigate cyber-vulnerabilities. This results in an enormously reduced effort when inspecting industrial networks.”

Factories are increasingly combining machines from different suppliers, resulting in a variety of vendors. This means that manufacturers are faced with numerous network security challenges including: asset identification and detection; compliance checks; malware scans; and vulnerability checks. The new suite is intended to address all of these concerns.

The suite has been designed to operate as an open framework. As well as including security tools developed by Siemens, it also contains tools for vulnerability management from the cybersecurity specialist, Tenable. More internal and third-party tools will be added in future.

Siemens’ Sinec Security Inspector is an all-in-one security testing suite

“With industrial companies transforming into digital enterprises, the importance of cybersecurity has grown tremendously,” Metzler says. “The Sinec Security Inspector was initially developed to scan our own factories for network vulnerabilities. After years of testing and improving this tool, it is now just right for protecting any industrial and manufacturing environment.”

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