June 24, 2015, Seoul – Rockwell Automation announced today that it has newly enhanced the CPwE (Converged Plantwide Ethernet) architecture, a wired and wireless Ethernet architecture jointly developed with Cisco. The latest CPwE security-enhanced edition, which incorporates key technologies from both companies, is designed to enable manufacturing operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT) professionals to address continuously evolving security issues, and includes design guidance and certified architecture that enables the establishment of more secure networks across plants and enterprises.

In the era of the Internet of Things, industrial security in manufacturing and enterprise network infrastructure is becoming more important than ever. In response to the growing demand for flexible and secure connectivity, a new model of policy-based plant floor access has been created. Through these new connections, it is possible to analyze equipment data from the plant floor and apply it to determine optimal operations and supply chain workflows, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs. In a securely connected environment, risks can be mitigated through policy compliance, and intellectual property can be protected through secure sharing among relevant parties worldwide.

The core of the new certified architecture focuses on enabling OT and IT professionals to utilize security policies and procedures by establishing a multi-layered defense. Through a defense-in-depth approach, manufacturers are now supported in establishing processes and policies to identify and prevent growing threats in industrial automation and control systems. The new CPwE architecture utilizes open industrial standards such as IEC 62443, provides recommendations for secure data sharing in industrial DMZs, and strengthens policies for controlling wired or wireless network access across the entire plant.

Rockwell Automation and Cisco have jointly developed resources enabling manufacturers to improve business performance and maximize productivity through the convergence of manufacturing and IT, while effectively implementing security solutions. The newly supplemented guidance is provided along with a white paper summarizing key design principles for industrial DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) design and ID service design. Industrial DMZ design, implementation guides, and related white papers present methods for securely sharing data from the plant floor to the enterprise, while ID service design, implementation guides, and related white papers introduce methods for strengthening security policies that strictly control access for anyone within the plant, regardless of wired or wireless access.

Lee Lane, Business Director at Rockwell Automation, stated, "The key to industrial network security is how to design and implement infrastructure to maintain comprehensive security against internal and external threats," and added, "The new guidance strengthens security elements necessary for the industrial domain of CPwE architecture through the experience and expertise of Rockwell Automation and Cisco."

Additionally, Bryan Tantzen, Senior Director at Cisco, said, "Today, security is one of the most critical elements in plant environments. As connected devices increase and more efficient operating methods emerge, specific vulnerabilities are likely to develop accordingly," and added, "Cisco and Rockwell Automation have collaborated for nearly a decade to develop common solutions that serve as standard-based resources for industrial environment security. The newly enhanced architecture and guidance are expected to create synergies through the collaboration of the two companies, contributing to organizations' awareness and active response to security issues."