“Security through Obscurity” is the phase coined by this type of security measure.
This helps keep the PLC from being vulnerable to attackers using known exploits to the operating system because the knowledge base is much smaller. One of the best security measures is to select a controller that utilizes an embedded operating system not popularly used by the consumer public. NAT lack of end-to-end connectivity may be considered a problem in some circumstances but it also provides a simple means of network protection.īy attaching a programmable logic controller to a network with Internet access, the device will be exposed to all of the same possible security threats as a computer. Port forwarding occurs when communication from outside the network sends a message to the router’s IP address the router determines where to send the packet based on the port number. In order for this type of communication to occur, the process of port forwarding must be used. This means, by default, that a TCP connection established outside the local network may not be able to connect with the destination device - due to the fact the IP address of the destination device is hidden behind the router. Unfortunately, the NAT does not provide a true end-to-end connection. NAT provides a way of taking a single IP address, supplied by the Internet service provider (ISP), and allowing multiple devices to share the same Internet connection. The most common way of routing network traffic between a LAN and wide area network (WAN) is to use a network address translation (NAT). Routers come in all shapes and sizes from a computer (with two NIC cards and routing software) to an off-the-shelf broadband router, both handle the communication traffic pretty much the same way. Routers provide a way of directing, or “routing,” IP traffic to the correct Ethernet device inside the LAN (Local Area Network).
This gateway address is usually assigned to an Ethernet router. Thereby, allowing the controller to send and receive IP messages that are not established inside the local network. This is accomplished by adding a gateway address to the Ethernet communication settings on the controller.
The first step in connecting remotely is to setup the controller to handle communication from both the local network as well as, handle messages from a wider network such as the nternet. With these features, and utilizing the Ethernet’s other services such as a web and ftp server, remote administration of a control process becomes possible. The second is to program and/or debug the internal program of the controller. The first is controlling remote I/O on Ethernet based protocols like EtherNet/IP, Profinet, or Modbus/TCP (UDP) to name a few. The latest generation of PLCs have an integrated Ethernet port on the controller for two main operations. With the latest PLC technology, almost anything that can be accomplished next to the machine can be accomplished wherever there is an Internet connection.Ĭonnecting to the PLC from a Remote Location Today’s PLCs give you the ability to access your control system to handle such tasks as monitoring via a website to determine the condition of a machine or check other statistics. More and more automation is being handled via remote communication, whether it’s from the office or from the comfort of your own home. Industrial automation is no longer limited by the walls of a production facility.
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