2023/6/13 – The dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has ushered in an era of innovation and technological advancement, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the realm of manufacturing. Smart factories, powered by cutting-edge technologies, have become the backbone of efficient and agile production systems. Among these advancements, the integration of private 5G networks stands out as a game-changer, revolutionizing the way computing systems are manufactured. However, those networks also come with security risks that need to be addressed beforehand. CASwell and HawkeyeTech are setting an example by running their own smart factories using private 5G networks, secured by PacketX.
Enhanced Connectivity and Efficiency
Private 5G networks offer unparalleled connectivity, providing reliable and ultra-fast data transfer rates within the smart factory ecosystem. Compared to local Wi-Fi, which is susceptible to congestion and interference, private 5G networks ensure low latency and high bandwidth, facilitating seamless communication between various computer systems. This enhanced connectivity paves the way for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and streamlined automation, ultimately boosting production efficiency and reducing downtime.
Improved Reliability and Scalability
By leveraging private 5G networks, CASwell’s and HawkeyeTech’s smart factories enjoy improved reliability and scalability. Unlike local Wi-Fi, which may experience coverage gaps or connectivity issues in certain areas, private 5G networks provide widespread and consistent coverage across the factory floor. This enables CASwell and HawkeyeTech to deploy a vast array of connected devices and sensors, empowering them to gather valuable data and optimize processes with precision.
Cybersecurity Challenges and Solution by PacketX
While the advantages of private 5G networks are undeniable, their implementation also brings forth cybersecurity challenges that must be addressed. As the number of connected devices increases, so does the attack surface for potential cyber threats. Smart factories need to implement robust security measures, including encryption protocols, authentication mechanisms, and intrusion detection systems, to safeguard their networks from unauthorized access and data breaches.
To counter any threats, CASwell and HawkeyeTech turned to PacketX and its automated defense mechanism for industrial control network security to automatically guard the operation of the factory production line to maintain stable production capacity. Using the security company’s solutions, digitized information is communicated with the manufacturing execution system through the IP network and instructions are issued uniformly through the factory control center, which can quickly switch production lines and increase production capacity. This increases the factories’ production flexibility.
Two Smart Factories in different locations
HawkeyeTech is located in the Far East Century Park, integrating factory and office. CASwell takes the Xinzhuang plant as the main enterprise operation center and factory building, and the Shulin plant as the data transmission hub for other areas. The 5G private network is set up in the Xinzhuang plant to provide high-speed and mobile intranet connections for the production line, and connect to the Shulin location through a dedicated line. PacketX introduced the industrial control network security automation defense mechanism in the two factory domains respectively to improve the visibility of the factories’ intranet, automatically blocking external malicious traffic with intelligence-based defense, and containing the core switch. The mirrored traffic is diverted to the NDR (Network Detection Response) at the back end, and the suspicious traffic is analyzed through NDR to find out the hacker intrusion. In addition, CASwell has joined the 5G private network and used GrismMEC by PacketX as the factory-side network node control to reduce the possibility of lateral movement and improve the resilience of the network.
Conclusion
The integration of private 5G networks in smart factories represents a major leap forward in manufacturing capabilities. The benefits of enhanced connectivity, reliability, and scalability offered by private 5G networks outweigh those of traditional local Wi-Fi networks. However, to fully exploit the potential of this technology, robust cybersecurity measures like the automated defense mechanism for industrial control network security described above must be in place. By adopting proactive security practices and staying abreast of the evolving threat landscape, manufacturers can ensure the safety and integrity of their smart factories, driving the industry towards a more productive and secure future.
Please contact your local CASwell representative or sales for any questions.
More information about the security solutions by PacketX for CASwell and HawkeyeTech can be found here: https://www.packetx.biz/zh/news_content.php?ID=14
