Specialized networks require specialized security. That’s particularly true when securing industrial IoT networks, which churn out mountains of critically important data every day.

IIoT networks aren’t new; they’ve been around in some form for more than 20 years. It wasn’t until 2008, after the introduction of the Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture standard, that IIoT really took off.

The same developments that set the stage for IIoT networks, however, also laid the way for cybercriminals to swoop in.

IIoT networks are particularly vulnerable. Once malicious hackers gain entry, they can take control of exposed appliances on the system, using that gateway to compromise other units, applications and even the system itself. A successful attack on a medical IIoT device, such as a heart monitor, could result in life-threatening consequences.

Because IIoT networks are so exploitable, their underlying architecture is critical. Cellular IIoT — for example, using LTE Machine Type Communication or narrowband IoT — is safer than Wi-Fi because SIMs can be locked to one specific device on a system instead of broadcasting signals across an entire network. But that is only one piece of designing an IIoT security strategy. Among other important considerations are the following:

• Inspect inbound and outgoing data traffic. By monitoring inbound traffic, teams can flag potential DDoS attacks and implement protection measures in the event one occurs. Monitoring outbound traffic lets IT identify any compromised device and form a defensive line should their security tools fail.
• Encrypt data end to end. Only those IT staffers with an encryption key can access the data as it traverses the network. These staffers should use passwords, secured with multifactor authentication, that are regularly updated.
• Use segmentation and firewalls, where applicable. Segmentation is particularly useful because it limits access to the system, meaning certain devices can only connect to a particular part of the network. Segmentation helps prevent attackers from using compromised devices as entry points to run unimpeded across the entire network. Firewalls, on the other hand, are less practical for IIoT deployments. IT teams need to create an internal firewall at each connection point, which would require the management of policies at thousands of links. Instead, it is more efficient to create firewalls between network segmentation points.