Security Equipment Upgrades

Most would agree that building a brand-new house is significantly easier than carrying out a major renovation on an old one. The same principle applies to control systems. Setting up a new system is often much simpler than upgrading an existing one. When it comes to major upgrades, especially for Distributed Control Systems (DCS), there are 8 elements that must be carefully considered to ensure a successful implementation: 1. System Compatibility & Integration • Legacy System Interface: Ensure new DCS can interface with older field instruments, I/O modules, and control logic (if retained). • Protocol Mismatch: Compatibility between old and new communication protocols (e.g., HART, Profibus, Foundation Fieldbus, Modbus). • Third-party System Integration: SCADA, PLCs, SIS (Safety Instrumented Systems), historians, and asset management tools must seamlessly integrate. 2. Downtime Minimization • Phased Migration Plan: Design must allow partial switchover to maintain plant operations. • Hot Cutover Capability: Ensure some systems can switch without shutting down the entire plant. • Backup Systems: Redundant systems and fallback strategies in case of failure during the upgrade. 3. Cybersecurity • Hardening the New System: New DCS introduces network exposure; firewalls, segmentation, and intrusion detection must be included. • Patch Management: Choose systems with secure patching and vendor support. • Compliance: Meet standards like ISA/IEC 62443. 4. Safety Systems Interface • SIS Independence: Ensure the DCS upgrade doesn’t compromise the independence and integrity of Safety Instrumented Systems. • Interlock Revalidation: All interlocks and safety logics must be retested and validated post-upgrade. 5. Data Migration & Configuration • Control Logic Transfer: Rewriting or translating existing logic into the new system format without losing functionality. • Historian & Alarm Data Migration: Maintain data integrity during transfer. • I/O Mapping Accuracy: Critical to ensure correct connections between field devices and control logic. 6. Hardware & Network Architecture • Redundancy Design: Controller, power, and network redundancy for high availability. • Scalability: Room for future expansion in the control system design. • Segmentation: Proper zoning of control and field networks for performance and security. 7. Operator Interface & HMI Design • Operator Familiarity: Reduce the learning curve with intuitive graphics and control layouts. • Alarm Rationalization: Avoid alarm flooding; ensure alarm priorities are re-evaluated. • Simulation & Training: Include an operator training simulator for commissioning and operational transition. 8. Compliance & Validation • Documentation: Thorough as-built and functional documentation for audits and training. • Regulatory Standards: Compliance with API, OSHA, ISA, and local regulations.

Are lessons learnt by India’s Corporate Security Ecosystem after 26/11 fading from collective memory? India's security challenges are no secret to its people. From cross-border threats to internal disruptions, we understand the risks. The attacks of 26/11 were a national wake-up call, one that jolted the corporate world into action. Security protocols were overhauled, equipment modernized overnight, and manpower trained like their lives depended upon it. For a while, we were vigilant. The recent Op Sindoor, as short as it was, also did serve to make Corporate India Inc sit up and take notice, once more, for a few hours at least. Calls by the government for the conduct of mock drills and the looming clouds of war suddenly saw CSOs being summoned by Corporate Leadership to discuss security strategies, business continuity plans and crisis management options. However, when it became apparent that the risk was dissipating, the same security upgrades being discussed a few hours earlier suddenly appeared unnecessary. The only constant is that corporate memory is fleeting. As time passes and headlines shift, so do leadership priorities. Aging equipment go unreplaced. Security budgets get trimmed. "It won’t happen to us" or "We’ll manage when it does" becomes the silent chorus, once again. Add to this: -A fragmented, unregulated security industry -Limited understanding of security processes by corporate leadership -Low security tech threshold and a general resistance to change or upgrade -No central standards for training, audits, or compliance -A compliance-through-shortcuts approach that’s far cheaper than real investment -Token inclusion of security leadership in decision-making, without real influence -Security teams, once hailed as protectors, are now often sidelined as cost centers. So what do we do? It’s time to bridge this trust, tech, and policy gap. Here’s how: -Create a National Security Standards Authority -Define compliance, training norms, and performance benchmarks across sectors. -Invest in Security as a Business Enabler -AI-driven surveillance, predictive analytics, and smart access controls can reduce physical manning while boosting capability. -Upskill to Empower -Replace the “guns, gates & guards" mindset with trained security professionals trained and equipped for today’s risks. -Audit, Replace, Upgrade -Conduct third-party audits, phase out obsolete systems, and introduce tech-led, modular solutions that scale with need. -Board-level Security Advocacy True transformation starts when the CSO isn’t just a participant, but a partner at the table. A resilient business doesn’t wait for disruption. It prepares for it, with foresight, tech, and empowered security leadership. If Corporate India Inc. wants to thrive securely, security must evolve from a post-incident response to a proactive, tech-enabled, business-aligned function. Because the next crisis won’t wait for a boardroom consensus.

🚨 Critical Cybersecurity Alert for Rockwell and Mitsubishi Electric Equipment Users 🚨 CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) has recently issued vital advisories for hardware vulnerabilities in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation and Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation products. Here’s what you need to know and actions to take: Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation Vulnerabilities: 1. Vulnerability Details: An 'Out-of-Bounds Write' vulnerability in FactoryTalk Activation Manager equipment, posing risks of buffer overflow and full system access by attackers. 2. Affected Versions: Factory Talk: V4.00 with Wibu-Systems CodeMeter <7.60c. 3. Action Steps: Upgrade immediately to FactoryTalk Activation Manager 5.01, which includes patches for these vulnerabilities. Follow Rockwell Automation’s security best practices for industrial automation control systems. Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation Products Vulnerabilities: 1. Vulnerability Details: Multiple issues in products, including observable timing discrepancy, double free, and type confusion vulnerabilities, could lead to information disclosure or denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. 2. Affected Products: GT SoftGOT2000, OPC UA Data Collector, MX OPC Server UA, OPC UA Server Unit, FX5-OPC. 3. Action Steps: Update to the recommended versions – GT SoftGOT2000: Version 1.295H or later; OPC UA data collector: 1.05F or later; MX OPC Server UA, OPC UA server unit, FX5-OPC: Implement recommended mitigations/workarounds. Unitronics Vision and Samba Series Vulnerability: 1. Vulnerability Details: An initialization of a resource with an insecure default, allowing administrative control using a default password. 2. Affected Products: VisiLogic versions before 9.9.00 and OS versions before 12.38. 3. Action Steps: Update to VisiLogic version 9.9.00 or later. Ensure strong password practices and limit internet exposure of devices. Tips for Users: - Regularly Update Software: Stay on top of software updates to ensure you have the latest security patches. - Implement Strong Passwords: Change default passwords to strong, unique ones. - Limit Internet Exposure: Avoid exposing critical systems to the internet wherever possible. - Stay Informed: Keep abreast of advisories from CISA and other cybersecurity organizations. 🔐 Stay vigilant and proactive in protecting your critical systems against these vulnerabilities. Link to article: https://lnkd.in/gK66cK2C #Cybersecurity #ICS #CISA #RockwellAutomation #MitsubishiElectric #Unitronics #CybersecurityAwareness #PrOTectITALL

Buyer Beware: As private equity creeps deeper into the #schoolsecurity product and technology market, smaller companies get gobbled up into bigger entities. Bundled services. Louder marketing. Lobbyists hired. But quality risks going downhill. Our team worked with one district where a once-reputable visitor management system failed miserably across dozens of schools — challenges with service, unresolved problems, and frustration among #schoolleaders everywhere. As I told ABC News in their recent network investigation, “I call it #securitytheater. We often find huge gaps between how security products and technology are marketed and how they actually work — or don’t.” Veteran #schoolsafety professional Curt Lavarello made a similar observation: “All of this technology is very, very expensive... and many products may not necessarily do what they’re being sold to do.” What can school leaders do? 🔹 Closing the Gap Between Marketing and Reality in School Security Tech ✅ Verify before you buy: Require live demonstrations in your actual school environment — not just vendor videos or conference booths. ✅ Talk to other districts: Contact peer school systems directly for candid, real-world feedback on performance and service. ✅ Pilot first, purchase later: Test products in a few schools under normal operating conditions before committing districtwide. ✅ Include front-line voices: Get input from principals, teachers, and security staff who actually use the systems daily. ✅ Check service and support history: Ask vendors for documented response times and maintenance logs. ✅ Evaluate total cost of ownership: Factor in upgrades, repairs, and ongoing subscription or licensing fees — not just purchase price. ✅ Demand data, not promises: Require measurable performance metrics and hold vendors accountable for outcomes. ✅ Maintain human-centered balance: Reinforce that no technology replaces staff vigilance, supervision, and relationship-building. ✅ Audit periodically: Conduct third-party performance reviews to confirm systems are still functioning as intended. ✅ Keep control local: Don’t let product and tech vendors — or private equity owners — dictate what “security” should look like in your schools. 📖 Read more from this story that picked up on the ABC News investigative story: https://zurl.co/IDR5w