Siemens Simplifies OT Security with Encrypted Virtual Networks
▼ Summary
– Siemens launched SINEC Secure Connect, a zero trust security platform for OT networks that virtualizes network structures using overlay networks.
– The platform enables secure machine-to-machine, machine-to-cloud, and remote access connections without relying on VPNs.
– It addresses IT/OT convergence challenges with granular policy-based controls that prevent lateral movement and simplify network management.
– The solution supports flexible deployment in on-premises, cloud, or hybrid configurations with built-in redundancy for high-availability environments.
– SINEC Secure Connect integrates with Siemens’ existing SCALANCE portfolio, allowing companies to reuse equipment while enhancing security for both new and legacy devices.
Siemens has introduced SINEC Secure Connect, a zero trust security platform built specifically for operational technology (OT) environments. This software solution establishes encrypted virtual overlay networks, enabling secure machine-to-machine, machine-to-cloud, and machine-to-datacenter communications. It also provides protected remote access to industrial systems without requiring traditional VPNs. Shop floor equipment using this platform stays shielded from unauthorized external access while preserving essential operational connectivity, allowing industrial firms to achieve secure, adaptable, and forward-looking OT networking.
The timing of this launch aligns with industry forecasts projecting the global OT security market to surpass $50 billion by 2030. This growth is fueled by accelerating manufacturing digitalization and escalating cyber threats directed at critical infrastructure and production facilities.
Industrial operators confront not only security risks but also the administrative burdens of current solutions. Michael Metzler, VP of Horizontal Management Cybersecurity for Digital Industries at Siemens, explains, “Conventional network security methods often fall short when IT and OT systems merge, introducing weaknesses as industrial equipment links to cloud services, remote access locations, and external partner networks. SINEC Secure Connect delivers a cybersecurity approach that safeguards increasingly digital production networks while streamlining network administration.”
The platform confronts these interconnection issues through a zero trust framework that builds a protected virtual overlay network atop existing OT infrastructure. It creates end-to-end encrypted, identity-authenticated links among approved devices, defending industrial systems from unauthorized external entry. Unlike VPNs that grant wide network access, SINEC Secure Connect enforces detailed, policy-driven controls that block lateral movement. This reduces the administrative load of IP-based machine oversight and supports cost-effective adherence to IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards.
Deployment is supported across any network setting, with options for on-premises, cloud, or hybrid setups. Built-in redundancy makes it appropriate for high-availability industrial settings, independent of infrastructure limitations. Rather than relying on intricate firewall-based methods, the platform simplifies network management by requiring only outbound connections, removing the error-prone configuration tasks common with traditional OT security tools.
To help organizations maximize existing investments, SINEC Secure Connect integrates smoothly with Siemens’ current SCALANCE portfolio for OT networks. Companies can continue using their present equipment while optimizing capital spending and lowering operational expenses through a unified platform strategy. This integration also extends to protecting legacy devices, where the platform strengthens Defense in Depth strategies with sophisticated cell protection features for existing Siemens network devices like SCALANCE S and SCALANCE MUM systems. This ensures security coverage spans both new installations and established industrial operations.
(Source: HelpNet Security)
