For a robot to be safe, it must also be secure from cyberattacks in the age of Industrie 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Everyone in the information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) departments are responsible for ensuring this happens.
For a robot to be safe, it must also be secure. Cyber-physical systems are on the rise. Industrie 4.0 and the vision of smart, connected factories continue to drive the robotics boom.
Savvy manufacturers are using networked robots and the insightful data they generate to simplify robot maintenance, maximize production efficiency, and improve product quality. As more robots are connected to each other, the enterprise and the cloud, cybersecurity risks mount.
These threats go beyond data breaches and production delays. Cyberattacks targeting highly nimble, powerful robotic systems come with serious safety concerns. With the increasing popularity of human-robot collaboration and mobile robots, these concerns are heightened. AI-enabled robots are gaining more autonomy. The real power of today's robots resides in software that is potentially susceptible to cyberattack.
With the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), cybersecurity is no longer "somebody else's problem." In this age of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. Threats can penetrate all the way to the shop floor. Cybersecurity requires everyone's vigilance.
TÜV Rheinland is a leader in independent testing, inspection and certification services. Stanley's area of interest is on the operational technology side of security and includes autonomous vehicles, railroad systems, smart manufacturing, robotics, power stations, and as he puts it, everything in between.
Cybersecurity affects manufacturers of all sizes from large multinationals and small to midsized enterprises (SMEs).
When it comes to responsibility for cybersecurity, the onus rests on many levels. In the robotics space, basically three groups share responsibility. It starts with device manufacturers. These are the designers and makers of robots, robot controllers, and ancillary devices such as machine vision sensors that give robots sight.
Visions of robot arms thrashing wildly about, or mobile robots running amok through the factory, may be what come to mind when you think of a cyberattack. In reality, the more likely scenario is far more insidious. In fact, it can be downright stealthy. Take, for example, the case of Stuxnet, which might be the world's first cyber-physical attack.
Repeatability is a robot's greatest strength, but it can become a liability if control falls into the wrong hands. A malicious attack that alters the rotation of a robot axis by a few degrees could exceed part tolerances, jeopardizing quality and impacting downstream processes.
Robot firmware and software can be attacked in the same way unpatched vulnerabilities in operating systems can be exploited to gain control over a PC.
Threats can come from many sources, either unwitting or intentional, and even from within.
IIoT architecture is multilayered and multidimensional. Typically attackers will find the weakest link.
The "defense in depth" concept is a hallmark of cybersecurity best practices. In this strategy, multiple layers of security exist so if a layer fails, subsequent layers can provide the necessary security defenses.
At the very least, a defense in depth strategy will delay the attacker and allow time for detection and response measures.
Medoff describes some of the components, layer by layer.
exida is a certification and knowledge company specializing in automation system safety, alarm management, and control system cybersecurity standards implementation. While the company works with product developers, integrators, and end users to evaluate systems for functional safety and cybersecurity, Medoff concentrates more on the development side. Recently, he finds himself working more often with mobile robot developers.
Savvy companies are getting proactive and realize cybersecurity requires a team approach.
Within the security field, there are two basic approaches to cybersecurity: offense and defense.
Nathaniel Cole is chief technology officer (CTO) for Cybersecurity Testing and Certification. His team is on offense. They actively test client's devices during both development and the final implementation state. This testing extends beyond robotics and industrial systems to enterprise IoT for the consumer, medical and energy sectors, among other industries.
Testing applies to more than just the device itself. It involves the entire ecosystem an attacker would have access to (as shown in the diagram). This includes the device enclosure and the hardware, user and network interfaces; any data deployed to the device, such as third party libraries and custom source code for the device's smart application; any mobile applications that connect to the device; and any systems the device communicates with may be housed either in the cloud or on the corporate network.
This defensive role can extend into implementing and maintaining controls to help with protecting these devices. Examples include firewalls, air gaps, network configuration, and logs.
Whether offensive or defensive, neither role is better than the other. Both are needed for a comprehensive program.
It's critical for robot operators, or end users, to change the default user names and passwords at initial setup of a device. Robots installed with their default passwords are easy prey for hackers.
"Having manufacturers force operators to change the default passwords and user names at setup would go a long way to securing these devices," Cole said. "It's not just the robotics industry. There have been malware and breaches of cameras, thermostats and routers.
Cybersecurity for robotics is still an immature field. Cole said the robotics industry is starting to understand its importance and how to implement security from the initial design all the way through to robot implementation.
The entire ecosystem must be taken into consideration. This is especially critical in remote monitoring applications.
"If you have remote monitoring capability and you have a web interface that is accessible through your desktop browser as well as your mobile phone, those come into play as well because you're sending data back and forth," Cole said. "You would want some level of security assurance that the data you're seeing within the remote monitoring capability devices is secure.
You also have to consider all the software at play, including software for ancillary devices such as machine vision cameras, functional safety devices like laser scanners, other sensors, and robot end-of-arm tooling. Cole said the user needs to secure the integrity of the input from such devices so it's not being manipulated to make the robotic arm or controller do something it's not supposed to do.
Buggy software is a primary entry point for cyberattackers, according to Medoff. Bug-free software is critical to the IIoT robotics system.
Medoff said a common misconception is people assume software bugs come with the territory and will always exist.
That's where industry standards come into play.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in agreement with the International Society of Automation (ISA) published a series of standards and technical reports that define procedures for implementing secure Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS). The standard provides guidance to those that create products, integrate systems, and operate industrial automation and control systems.
The ISA/IEC 62443 standard contains seven foundational requirements (FR). Stanley recommends robot manufacturers make sure their products meet as many of these requirements as possible.
FR 7 Resource availability. Ensure the availability of the application or device against the degradation or denial of essential services. If properly addressed, these requirements will reduce many cybersecurity risks across an industrial robot system.
Standards provide an easier way for companies to assess their suppliers and determine if they have the proper security protocols in place.
When robotics suppliers and users are looking for partners to help them tackle the multilayered complexities of cybersecurity, it's important to consider the service supplier's track record and experience. A team that understands the manufacturing space, particularly the automation realm, and has a working knowledge of industry standards, is a good bet.
There are vulnerabilities at every level of the IIoT robotics system. It's everyone's responsibility to assess and mitigate potential cybersecurity risks. For a robot to be safe, it must also be cyber safe.
Tanya M. Anandan is contributing editor for the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) and Robotics Online. RIA is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to improving the regional, national, and global competitiveness of the North American manufacturing and service sectors through robotics and related automation. This article originally appeared on the RIA website. The RIA is a part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.