New industrial VPN routers take IIoT cybersecurity to next level

Cybersecurity must be taken seriously. A study by Palo Alto Networks found that as much as 98% of IIoT traffic is not encrypted and nearly 60% of devices are susceptible to cyber attacks. It is therefore more important than ever for the industry to protect against these cyber attacks. With the Ewon Cosy+ from HMS Networks, Bintz Technics offers a new generation of industrial VPN routers that take IIoT cybersecurity to the next level. Indeed, state-of-the-art hardware security allows users to remotely commission and program industrial equipment or even troubleshoot problems in a secure manner. The dangers of cyber attacks are thus significantly reduced.

Connected devices have become an integral part of our society. If you see how many computers and IoT devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, cameras, speakers, home automation systems, we use today and compare it to, say, three years ago, you notice it immediately. This implies that the importance of security has also increased significantly. "While traditional IT has surely reached a certain level of maturity, the rapid growth of IoT shows that the number of cases of security misimplementations is increasing. With IoT devices, security must start the moment they are turned on," stated sales engineer Bram Baetens of Bintz Technics. "Executing a trusted and authentic code starts with the secure boot of the device. 'Secure Boot' ensures that only software validated by the manufacturer can be run. Without that process, one could, for example, load a customized operating system or manipulated software if one can interfere between boot phases. The new Ewon Cosy+ industrial VPN router from HMS Networks provides a fully secure startup sequence, executing only program code approved by Ewon. The authentication chain consists of public and private keys, combined with a digital signature. Only when these elements match, the bootloader is loaded. If this verification chain is interrupted for some reason, the device will not boot."

New generation of industrial VPN routers

HMS Network is a market leader in providing industrial information and communications technology (Industrial ICT) solutions, including developing products under the Ewon® name, the first choice for industrial remote access solutions for twenty years. More than 300,000 devices worldwide are connected via the Talk2M cloud platform, making Ewon the No. 1 choice in industrial remote access connectivity by a wide margin. Bintz Technics is responsible for distributing the products in Belgium and Luxembourg. "With the Ewon Cosy+, the successor to the successful Ewon Cosy 131, HMS Networks introduced a new generation of industrial VPN routers that take IIoT cybersecurity to the next level. In addition to its performance and ease of use, this new development particularly excels with state-of-the-art hardware security. This router was designed in accordance with ISO207001 guidelines. Thanks to a partnership with Nviso's cybersecurity specialists, Ewon can offer a solution that has been tested against the strictest IIoT security standards," Baetens explains. "The combination of the Talk2M industrial cloud platform with the Cosy+ and the integrated hardware security allows users to remotely commission and program industrial installations or even perform fault diagnostics in a secure manner. Thus, machine downtime is reduced. Time and money are also saved because technicians do not have to make unnecessary trips for interventions. Technician productivity is therefore significantly improved."

Armed against cyber attacks

The safety of products is close to the hearts of Ewon's specialists. This is why a 'Secure Element' has been integrated into this new Cosy+, adding an additional level of security at the hardware level. The so-called 'Hardware Root of Trust' is a fundamental component for a secure start-up cycle of the device. In this way, the system is very well armed against cyber attacks.