Securing critical manufacturing data: It takes more than a simple firewall

Fortinet’s Rod Locke on keeping industrial data streams secure, from the design office to plant floor sensors.

This episode of Manufacturing the Future is brought to you by Fortinet.

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing technology has evolved from steam, to electricity, and today, to data. Data is the cartilage and sinew of the vast skeleton of manufacturing and commerce, and when that information was passed solely through copper conductors, it was relatively secure.

Today however, wireless technology has evolved into a virtual backbone, operating at macro and micro scales. Individual machines on an assembly line may be Bluetooth connected to handheld devices, and Wi-Fi is a given for intra-plant monitoring and control, with the Internet providing operational control and monitoring on a global scale. Vulnerability of these systems is a growing problem, both for the need to keep nefarious actors out of industrial systems, and to protect valuable IP.

Engineering.com’s Jim Anderton spoke with Rod Locke, Director of Product Management with Fortinet about the severity of the industrial security problem, and what manufacturers can do about it.  

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Learn more about Fortinet’s industry-leading OT Security Solutions.

Written by

James Anderton

Jim Anderton is the Director of Content for ENGINEERING.com. Mr. Anderton was formerly editor of Canadian Metalworking Magazine and has contributed to a wide range of print and on-line publications, including Design Engineering, Canadian Plastics, Service Station and Garage Management, Autovision, and the National Post. He also brings prior industry experience in quality and part design for a Tier One automotive supplier.