Cybersecurity in Building Automation

Topics 28 August 2020

Cybersecurity in Building Automation: Effective Defense against Attacks

Building automation systems are increasingly networked with IT solutions; however, processes focused on security against internal and external network attacks are still relatively rare in this field. The reason for this is, largely unprotected systems in building technology meet a complex IT realm.

Intelligent, Secure Building Automation

Open, interoperable systems are the basis for energy-efficient building automation strategies.
Building technology is coupled with intelligent power supply networks, exposing the building operator to potential network attacks.
WAGO has the expertise and technology to incorporate IT infrastructure into building automation from the earliest design phases, and to safeguard it over the long term.

Securely Networked

Thanks to modern building automation, existing structures can be converted to smart buildings at manageable costs – with high energy efficiency and increased comfort. Up-to-date cybersecurity ensures secure building operation.

Smart buildings offer immense energy saving potentials. But how can networking and digitalization be advanced without threatening building operators with potential attacks on their building automation? This is a primary challenge confronting today's building automation suppliers. Cybersecurity also takes top priority at WAGO: All our solutions are protected with up-to-date security technologies, to thwart attacks at the highest level. At the same time, our open, interoperable automation solutions offer you the widest range of options for realizing your energy efficiency projects. Full security – without compromising flexibility – adds up to long-term success for complex building automation projects.

Security with WAGO Controllers

WAGO provides the expertise and technology, so that that buildings may be designed and constructed in a more energy efficient and secure manner. WAGO PFC200 and PFC100 controllers play a key role in this, because they include standard, integrated firewalls, that protect from network attacks. In addition, they are equipped with cloud connectivity, which optimally protects building data from unauthorized data attacks. Information is directly encrypted in the controller and then transmitted to the cloud via IPsec or OpenVPN.

Energy-Efficient and Secure Projects

In Saarlouis, a city in Saarland, a combination of WAGO PFC200 controllers and the WAGO Cloud are used; for example, to monitor a municipal energy plant and well system, in order to operate them more efficiently. The controllers collect the data and transmit it to the cloud, where the city administrators can access it from any location. If, for example, the systems in the central energy plant are running inefficiently, then the employees immediately recognize this, in the context of asset management, and can initiate direct counter measures. They do not have to worry about security tasks, because WAGO, or the WAGO technology equipped with security features, takes over these functions.

Critical Cybersecurity in Buildings

“Our Position with Respect to Cybersecurity is Still Too Weak”

Norbert Pohlmann, Professor of Computer Science for distributed systems and information security and head of the Institute for Internet Security at the University of Applied Sciences in Gelsenkirchen, Westphalia, explains why building automation companies must upgrade their security settings to the state-of-the-art.

WAGOdirect Building: Creating Future-Proof Buildings

Today’s building technology offers significant potential. It can increase the comfort and efficiency of buildings and help them conserve energy. At the same time, the demands that buildings will have to meet in the future are also increasing. In this edition of WAGOdirect Building, find out what those requirements look like and how you can make your construction projects future-proof now to prepare for the requirements of tomorrow.

How to Protect Your Networks

Online Seminar: “Network Security in Building Automation”

The first and most important step to ensure an effective defense for building automation is to sharpen network security. The online seminar “Network Security in Building Automation” conveys practical knowledge for enhancing IT network security:

What impact can attacks have?
How can I best safeguard the building automation IT structure right from the initial planning stage?
What technological options to upgrade existing IT networks are available?
Current guidelines and laws made easy

Intelligent Products for Smart Buildings

Cybersecurity Right in the Switch

Industrial managed switches with hardware-related encryption (Mac security).
Retrofit secure data transmission into existing networks.
Authentication in the network

Topics 28 August 2020
Cybersecurity in Building Automation: Effective Defense against Attacks