Remote-access Guide

industrial control systems remote access

by Ford Fay Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Remote Access for Industrial Control Systems Remote access is the ability to access a computer or network from any location through a network connection. This tool is particularly helpful in servicing control systems through a network connection.

Full Answer

How does a remote control system work?

The process works something like this:

  • You push the "volume up" button on your remote control, causing it to touch the contact beneath it and complete the "volume up" circuit on the circuit board. ...
  • The integrated circuit sends the binary "volume up" command to the LED at the front of the remote.
  • The LED sends out a series of light pulses that corresponds to the binary "volume up" command.

How to program an universal remote control?

How to Program Proscan TV Universal Remote With Manual Method

  • First you need to “Turn The Device On”
  • Press the “TV” on your “Proscan TV universal remote”
  • Now press and hold the “Setup button” of the Universal Remote until it shows the “Light Flash” (It means it is in “Learning mode”)
  • Finally enter the “Keycode” which you collected from the programing guide (Instructions Booklet)

More items...

How to use your remote control?

You'll need this later.

  • Make sure you have Windows 10 Pro. To check, go to Start > Settings > System > About and look for Edition . ...
  • When you're ready, select Start > Settings > System > Remote Desktop, and turn on Enable Remote Desktop.
  • Make note of the name of this PC under How to connect to this PC. You'll need this later.

Is remote control the same as radio control?

So, essentially, remote-controlled vehicles are pretty much the same as radio-controlled vehicles. A radio system is necessary to operate any remote-controlled vehicle. Remote controls can be used to send radio signals to a matching receiver through a hand-held transmitter, placed on the remote control car.

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How does remote access work?

Remote access simply works by linking the remote user to the host computer over the internet. It does not require any additional hardware to do so. Instead, it requires remote access software to be downloaded and installed on both the local and remote computers.

What do industrial control systems control?

Definition(s): An information system used to control industrial processes such as manufacturing, product handling, production, and distribution.

What is a preferred security measure for remote access?

Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is often considered the best approach in securing trans-network communication.

What is an ICS network?

ICS are command and control networks and systems designed to support industrial processes. The largest subgroup of ICS is SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems.

What are the types of industrial control systems?

The Different Industrial Control SystemsDistributed Control Systems (DCS) ... Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) ... Human-Machine Interface (HMI) ... Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) ... Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC) ... Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) ... Remote Terminal Units (RTU)More items...

What are the 3 types of control system in automation?

Automatic control systems can be classified into four main types:Two-position controllers (ON/OFF).Proportional controllers.Integral controllers.

What are the types of remote access?

The primary remote access protocols in use today are the Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Remote Access Services (RAS), and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

What are the two types of remote access server?

Remote Access Methods1- Remote Access Server: It's one server in organization network that it is the destination of all remote access connections.2- Remote Access Client: All computers that remote connect to network, called remote access client or remote computer.More items...•

What are three examples of remote access locations?

What Is Remote Access?Queens College.Harvard University Extension School.

What is the difference between SCADA and ICS?

I use both terms together because SCADA is often better known by the press, government officials and the public, but ICS is probably the technically correct term to use if you are referring to industrial automation of all types. Traditionally “SCADA” is used for control systems that cover a wide geographic area.

Is a PLC an ICS?

This article will detail the different types of ICS, including Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS).

What is difference between DCS and SCADA?

The main similarity between SCADA and DCS is that both systems control plant operations and the devices that they can deploy. On the other hand, the main difference is what they focus on - SCADA systems prioritize collecting and understanding data, while DCS systems is geared towards process control.

Which are the basic elements of industrial control systems?

2.2 Industrial Control System Functional Components1 Programmable Logic Controller. ... 2 Remote Terminal Unit. ... 3 Intelligent Electronic Device. ... 4 Engineering Workstation. ... 5 Human Machine Interface. ... 6 Data Historian. ... 7 Communications Gateways. ... 8 Front End Processor.More items...•

What industries use process control?

Which Industries use Process Control? All industrial sectors benefit from using process control, but it is particularly important in the food and dairy, oil and gas, biopharmaceuticals, power generation, pulp and paper, and petrochemical sectors.

Where are control systems used?

Control Systems are used in domestic applications, general industry, military and virtually every modern vehicle in the world. Control Systems are very common in SCADA and Industrial Automation systems. Control Systems are used in Industrial Automation to regulate how devices operate in real time.

What are industrial systems?

Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE) is a branch of engineering that uses mathematical, statistical, and scientific techniques to design, analyze, implement, and improve systems of people, information, and materials. Such systems often involve complex interactions between humans and machines.

What are the benefits of industrial remote access?

Industrial remote access provides instant connectivity to machines anywhere, anytime. You can respond quickly to operational issues, minimize facil...

How to check if remote access is enabled?

The SiteManager Industrial IoT Gateway features a digital input that you can link to your operator panel or a physical switch, so that only when t...

Is it IPSec or SSL VPN?

Neither; the Secomea Solution is based on “Relay VPN,” which uses proxy technology instead of routing. This overcomes the network challenges of tra...

Does Secomea remote access allow full VPN access to equipment?

Yes. Although Secomea uses Relay VPN, the result is the same. Secomea’s remote access solution gives you transparent UDP/TCP access via Layer3 and...

How do I connect remotely to a machine from a PC?

The Secomea LinkManager Client software creates a transparent VPN connection directly to industrial devices such as PLC’s and HMI’s through an Io...

Does Secomea Remote Access use a Cloud service?

Secomea Remote access relies on an Internet based server called GateManager. You can have a free account on one of Secomea’s global GateManager s...

Why do external parties need to connect remotely to critical infrastructure control networks?

This access is to allow the manufacturers of equipment used in Australia’s critical infrastructure the ability to maintain the equipment, when a fault is experienced that cannot be fixed in the required timeframe any other method.

What is the Australian Government Information Security Manual?

The Australian Government Information Security Manual is a cyber security framework that organisations can apply to protect their systems and data from cyber threats. The advice in the Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents, along with its Essential Eight, complements this framework.

What should be the default communication between the vendor and the critical infrastructure control system?

1. By default, there should be no communication between the vendor and the critical infrastructure control system.

Which end should authenticate the critical infrastructure organisation?

10. The remote end should authenticate the critical infrastructure organisation also, i.e. ‘mutual authentication’.

Why do external parties need to connect remotely?

External parties may need to connect remotely to critical infrastructure control networks. This is to allow manufacturers of equipment the ability to maintain the equipment when a fault is experienced that cannot be fixed in the required timeframe. Such access to external parties will only occur in extraordinary circumstances, ...

When must remote access data be returned?

Ensure contractually that any data viewed or acquired as part of the remote access is used only for the purpose of resolving the issue the remote access was granted for, and must be returned to the critical infrastructure organisation and destroyed at the remote access end either when the issue is resolved, or after the period of 1 year , whichever is sooner.

When should the connection between the control network and any external device be physically disconnected?

2. The connection between the control network and any external device should be physically disconnected when the protocol is not being used. Ideally this would mean removal of a physical cable, however sometimes the location to disconnect the cable may be a significant distance from the control equipment.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We rely on industrial control systems to sustain our lives; from utilities to manufacturing, to distribution, to water management. In the past decade, the connectivity level of industrial control systems has increased. In parallel with these digital transformations, ensuring the safety and integrity of these environments is imperative.

Industrial control system security: Notable vulnerabilities

1. Connectivity and integration with external platforms and third party systems provide opportunities for backdoor access and malicious activities.

Preventing industrial control system attacks

In the US, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provides information designed to empower industry leaders to combat ICS oriented threats.

Why do we need industrial remote access?

By using industrial remote access, you ensure instant connectivity to machines where you can respond quickly to operational issues and minimize facility downtime.

What is IoT infrastructure?

IoT infrastructures interconnect building equipment with centrally monitored and controlled systems. Buildings are often maintained by many different service providers and using varying types of equipment for HVAC, lighting, elevators, etc. This presents a high–risk vulnerability to cybersecurity attacks. The Secomea Industrial Remote Access Solution provides an industrial IoT platform that secures on-demand remote access to selected equipment, and also secure tunneling to static surveillance using control protocols such as BACnet. You can easily manage who has remote access to which equipment in the building via drag-and-drop user access management.

Is Secomea security built in?

Security is built in, not bolted on. The Secomea Solution is designed to meet both operational technology (OT) and IT requirements with security at its core.

Can remote access be scaled?

For large-scale enterprises, we can scale the remote access solution according to your business processes and infrastructures. Deployed as a SaaS solution, you get the maximum benefit from the solution and secure every level of your industrial network.

Option 1: Hosted VPN

Hosted VPNs provide a secure connection with simple setup and network configuration. Typical hosted VPN solutions include a VPN router, a hosted VPN server, a VPN client, and connected automation system components (figure 2).

Hosted VPN design considerations

Those considering this solution must have a high level of trust in the hosted VPN vendor, as it will be responsible for securely storing data and making it available to only those who need it. Monthly costs incurred for high data bandwidth usage must also be considered, particularly as those costs are zero for a traditional VPN solution.

Option 2: Traditional VPN

This option requires a local VPN router to connect through the Internet with a secure VPN tunnel to a second remote VPN router or software client (figure 5). Once connected, remote users can access automation components connected to the local router through the VPN tunnel.

Traditional VPN design considerations

The main design consideration for this option is the capability and willingness of an IT team to support this solution at both the local and remote sites for each installation.

Application example: Traditional VPN

Consider two types of OEM machine builders. The first OEM sells very large and complex printing presses with thousands of automation system I/O points, and its customers require the OEM to support the machine, including uptime and throughput guarantees.

Application example: Hosted VPN

The second OEM sells a machine that does not require video monitoring. Local operator interface is provided by an embedded HMI with limited data logging and storage functionality. The OEM machine builder needs two kinds of remote access. The first is VPN access to remotely troubleshoot, debug, and program the machine’s PLC and HMI.

Many considerations

When designing a remote access solution using VPNs, there are many considerations influencing final implementation: initial and sustaining costs, technical expertise during installation and ongoing operation, site control, security risks, and data storage capabilities.

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Introduction

  • External parties may need to connect remotely to critical infrastructure control networks. This access is to allow the manufacturers of equipment used in Australia’s critical infrastructure the ability to maintain the equipment, when a fault is experienced that cannot be fixed in the required timeframe any other method. Such access to external parties is to be considered an extraordina…
See more on cyber.gov.au

Design Principles

  1. 1. By default, there should be no communication between the vendor and the critical infrastructure control system.
  2. 2. Networks should be segmented and segregated. Details on the application of segmentation and segregation can be found in the ACSC’s Implementing Network Segmentation and Segregationpublication. I...
  1. 1. By default, there should be no communication between the vendor and the critical infrastructure control system.
  2. 2. Networks should be segmented and segregated. Details on the application of segmentation and segregation can be found in the ACSC’s Implementing Network Segmentation and Segregationpublication. I...
  3. 3. There must be other processes and procedures in place before this protocol is used. These processes include:
  4. 4. Multi-factor authentication should be used. Two-factor authentication should be used at a minimum. Details, including why this is needed, can be found in the ACSC’s Implementing Multi-Factor Aut...

Implementation Principles

  1. 1. There should be no connection directly from the vendor to the control equipment. There should be at least one hop through a device controlled and managed by the critical infrastructure owner fir...
  2. 2. The connection between the control network and any external device should be physically disconnected when the protocol is not being used. Ideally this would mean removal of a phys…
  1. 1. There should be no connection directly from the vendor to the control equipment. There should be at least one hop through a device controlled and managed by the critical infrastructure owner fir...
  2. 2. The connection between the control network and any external device should be physically disconnected when the protocol is not being used. Ideally this would mean removal of a physical cable, how...
  3. 3. Ensure there is a warning on the control system operator’s machines when the connection to the remote vendor is established.
  4. 4. VPNs should be configured as tightly as possible, for example locked to specific IP addresses through firewalls.

Protocol

  1. 1. Ensure procedures discussed in Design Principle 2, such as a method to disconnect the control system from the internet quickly, are known and in place.
  2. 2. Obtain approval for the connection from the relevant senior officer in the critical infrastructure company.
  3. 3. Enter in a log the data and time (change record), who will be connecting, who the witness …
  1. 1. Ensure procedures discussed in Design Principle 2, such as a method to disconnect the control system from the internet quickly, are known and in place.
  2. 2. Obtain approval for the connection from the relevant senior officer in the critical infrastructure company.
  3. 3. Enter in a log the data and time (change record), who will be connecting, who the witness will be, and the reason for the connection.
  4. 4. Issue the time-limited password (from Design Principle 6) to the remote entity using existing channels.

Further Information

  • The Information Security Manual is a cyber security framework that organisations can apply to protect their systems and data from cyber threats. The advice in the Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents, along with its Essential Eight, complements this framework.
See more on cyber.gov.au

Contact Details

  • If you have any questions regarding this guidance you can write to usor call us on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).
See more on cyber.gov.au

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