1.On demand remote secure access to ot applications and systems

2.Provide zero trust security protection for it and ot networks

3.Extend the normal operation time of the plant and improve the operation efficiency through remote security access

Siemens cooperates with zscaler Co., Ltd., the leader of cloud security technology, to develop a zero trust secure access solution to help customers remotely and safely access the business systems related to the production network (OT) at their workplace (office or remote office), and give users the ability of remote management, quality control and remote problem diagnosis and analysis.

In order to ensure that the OT network is not exposed to increasing potential threats, Siemens cooperates with zscaler to further deepen the concept of “defense in depth” of the OT system based on the “zero trust” architecture. The “zero trust” security protection architecture based on the principle of “minimum privileged access” only provides access authorization for a business system to users who have passed identity and background authentication. The solution is combined with the original firewall ot security mechanism to realize the fine-grained access concept. At the same time, it can continue to meet the requirements of high production availability and real-time management capability. This function can be realized by installing the cloud based zscaler private accesstm (zpatm) remote access service connector in Siemens’ SCALANCE LPE edge computing device, so as to create a network access security solution for industrial environment. Centralized management is implemented on zscaler’s zero trust exchangetm cloud platform, and import links are used to realize more strict layout and configuration management under the existing firewall principles, so as to reduce the operation cost of management and supervision. With the zero trust exchange solution, the transformation and upgrading of existing systems can also be easily completed. At present, both zscaler and Siemens can provide customers with this solution.

Hanna Hennig, chief information officer of Siemens AG, said: “network operators in large enterprises are facing the challenge of realizing remote production control through unified OT and it system security guidelines. By combining Siemens’ communication technology with zscaler’s security technology, we can achieve” zero trust “in the IT field The security measures are directly applied to the OT environment. So far, we have successfully tested this solution in several Siemens owned factories. “

“Nowadays, enterprise security protection measures can no longer be limited to setting up some IT systems. At the moment when it and OT are integrated, enterprises must also take into account the security and access requirements of the production environment,” said Deepak Patel, OT security director of the CEO Office of zscaler, “Now, through joint technology development, Siemens and zscaler introduce the benefits of the ‘zero trust’ concept into the OT environment, so as to strengthen the control and protection of all technical assets, including the production environment.”