A recent bombshell report has caused a stir: On March 1st, Toyota Motor Corporation shut down all of its factories in Japan due to a cyberattack on a major supplier. The attack reportedly caused the parts supply management system to malfunction. The shutdown affected 14 factories and 28 production lines in Japan. This is not the first time Toyota has suffered a large-scale cyberattack. Back in 2019, Toyota was hacked, affecting the personal information of 3.1 million users across several of its Japanese subsidiaries.
As we all know, in today's automated production, the Industrial Internet has permeated every corner of industrial production. Meanwhile, high-speed, stable industrial Ethernet is gradually replacing the former fieldbus and gaining widespread acceptance among engineers. With the development and application of 5G technology, based on its uRLLC (ultra-reliable low-latency communication) and mMTC (massive machine-type communication) technical characteristics, the convergence of IT and OT networks, and the addition of wireless communication technology, are gradually becoming the trend for the future development of the Industrial Internet. This incident has sparked widespread discussion about network security in production sites. Currently, the main focus of discussion within the industry is on the following two points:
1. The introduction of high-speed, low-latency TSN networks has led to a significant increase in network interactions. While improving production efficiency, this also increases the risk of production equipment being attacked from the external internet. In this situation, should we still take the risk of accepting these network interactions?
2. The convergence of IT and OT networks has integrated production in factories located across the country and even globally. However, data transmitted over wide area networks and 5G networks is exposed to the risks of the Internet. Therefore, how to avoid cyberattacks has become a top priority in network security management.
1. Facing IT networks, CC-Link IE adopts a standard Ethernet grid. 1. Reflections on Industrial Internet Security
Regarding the two discussions above, CC-Link China would like to discuss the following two points in detail with readers:
1. In modern production systems, with the development of globalization, production is also gradually becoming globalized. For large-scale manufacturing enterprises, such as automobiles, LCD panels, and chips, the ability of factories distributed around the world to work collaboratively depends on the Industrial Internet. Due to the inherent characteristics of industrial production, the real-time nature of network transmission must be guaranteed. Therefore, the use and popularization of TSN networks is inevitable. If we abandon the Industrial Internet with TSN functionality because of concerns about network security, it would be tantamount to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Take the CC-Link IE TSN network currently used in automobile manufacturing plants as an example.
As shown in Figure 1, due to the use of a large number of servo systems, robots and other equipment on site, there are high requirements for the transmission of digital and analog signals, and the real-time performance of data transmission is also a necessity. At this time, TSN network is an indispensable network feature on the production site. Standalone systems and small-scale production systems are far from meeting the needs of globalized production.
Figure 1. Network diagram of an automobile production plant
2. Using the example above, we can see that when production data needs to be transmitted over a large area, it is essential to integrate IT and OT networks to maximize network efficiency. Especially now that CC-Link IE is discussing the adaptation of 5G networks to TSN networks, 5G networks, which perfectly meet low-latency requirements, will inevitably become the mainstream wireless network in the Industrial Internet in the future. However, the integration of OT and IT networks will inevitably raise concerns about data security. Shouldn't every industrial control engineer be discussing how to strengthen network security? If we abandon the integration of TSN networks with OT and IT networks simply because of occasional network security incidents, it would be tantamount to forcing a square peg into a round hole, resulting in a greater loss than a greater gain.
In practical applications, the host computer integrates the ERP and MES systems through CC-Link IE TSN to coordinate the entire production process, monitor and analyze production data in real time, and ensure that factories located in various places can work together to improve production efficiency. However, if the TSN network is abandoned and small-scale system interconnection or even stand-alone operation is adopted, it will be far from meeting the requirements of the complex production systems of multinational enterprises. Obviously, even if network risks can be avoided, it is still a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
2 CC-Link IE TSN Network Security Countermeasures
In the face of an increasingly complex industrial internet environment, the current CC-Link IE TSN network has strengthened network security management at all levels, ensuring smooth production while maximizing network security during data transmission.
Figure 2 shows how the CC-Link IE TSN network strengthens network security management at various levels.
In practical applications, CC-Link IE TSN is continuously advancing the convergence of OT and IT networks. While seamlessly connecting OT and IT networks brings diverse application possibilities to the manufacturing industry, it also rapidly introduces security risks. The need for network robustness and security countermeasures must be addressed simultaneously. In systems where IT and OT are converged, IT systems face malware from the internet, while OT networks may experience network overload due to DoS attacks. Corresponding countermeasures must be implemented to address these threats.
1. When facing IT networks, CC-Link IE adopts the standard Ethernet format and can use standard Ethernet security technologies, such as firewalls or WPA, which ensures the most basic network security.
2. For OT networks running CC-Link IE TSN, the CC-Link Association has incorporated numerous security strategies based on industrial Ethernet, such as adding security functions during product development; developing security functions for OT networks that are independent of IT networks; and adopting IPS (Intrusion Prevention System)/IDS (Intrusion Detection System) technologies.
3. For OT networks, CC-Link IE TSN has researched a large number of security technologies, including those using switches.
To address potential cybersecurity risks, the CC-Link Association is continuously advancing the following work and has developed security guidelines:
1. Build a secure environment where CC-Link IE TSN can be used with confidence;
2. Provide the information required for secure use of the CC-Link IE TSN;
3. Expand products and services that correspond to security mechanisms.
Big data brings about the intelligentization of industries, making networks a key technology. The CC-Link Association is constantly exploring the most advanced technologies and achieving production flexibility, continuously advancing CC-Link IE TSN, while gradually improving network and security strategies to build a secure system that can be used with confidence in CC-Link IE TSN.
