{"id":39184,"date":"2024-09-03T16:52:57","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T20:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/netfoundry.io\/?p=39184"},"modified":"2026-01-23T11:44:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T16:44:43","slug":"simplifying-ot-network-security-with-the-netfoundry-iiot-connectivity-platform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/netfoundry.io\/iiot\/simplifying-ot-network-security-with-the-netfoundry-iiot-connectivity-platform\/","title":{"rendered":"Simplifying OT Network Security with the NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Securing OT Environments<\/h2>\n

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As organizations increasingly adopt digitization and automation, ensuring robust security for OT (Operational Technology) networks becomes a top priority. OT networks, which are vital to industrial operations, are inherently complex due to their distributed nature, multitude of devices, varied protocols, and reliance on diverse cloud platforms and applications. In this evolving landscape, the <\/span>NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform<\/b> simplifies the deployment and operation of IIoT and OT networks by offering a secure, scalable, and agile solution through its software-only, embeddable, and programmable Zero Trust platform. The platform can be deployed in three models: <\/span>NetFoundry Cloud<\/b> and <\/span>NetFoundry Hybrid Cloud<\/b> (both NaaS solutions), or <\/span>NetFoundry On-Premise<\/b> for self-hosted environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Addressing the Complexities of OT Networks<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Addressing the Complexities of OT Networks<\/b><\/h3>\n

OT networks often involve a complex mix of devices, protocols, and communication methods that can create security challenges. With the rising tide of cyber threats, organizations must secure communication both within and outside the factory or site to protect against unauthorized access and cyber-attacks. This is where the <\/span>NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform<\/b> comes into play. By simplifying network security for IIoT and OT environments, NetFoundry helps organizations improve their security posture while maintaining the scalability and agility needed to support modern industrial operations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key Use Cases in IIoT and OT Environments<\/b><\/h3>\n
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  1. Secure Communication Between the Edge and Any\u00a0 IOT \/ OT Platform, Enterprise or 3rd Party Cloud<\/b>
    One of the primary use cases for organizations using the NetFoundry IIoT Platform is securing data as it moves between the factory or site and the cloud. Machines connected via LAN networks to OT\/IIoT gateways or edge devices can securely connect to cloud-based applications, storage, and APIs. The NetFoundry edge router<\/b> or tunneler software initiates Zero Trust connections to these resources, whether hosted in public or private cloud data centers.\n

    For example, a company may use the NetFoundry platform to securely integrate with Azure Digital Twins or any other PaaS provider, ensuring that all data and communication are protected from unauthorized access.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. Secure Device Management and Remote Access for Engineers
    <\/b>OT and IIoT environments often involve hundreds or thousands of devices, sensors, and actuators. Managing these devices securely requires robust solutions that can establish secure connections between device management applications and the devices themselves. The NetFoundry IIoT Platform provides a highly secure Zero Trust network access solution that enables administrators to onboard engineers (both internal and external) and provide them with the least privilege access needed to perform their tasks.\n

    This feature is particularly useful when engineers need to securely access consoles, local applications, or SSH into devices using the internet as the underlay. The platform\u2019s integration with identity providers like Microsoft Azure allows for seamless onboarding and access management. Temporary or permanent least privilege access can be provided with a combination of up to 5 different types of posture checks.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communication within Factories or Sites
    <\/b>Factory and industrial environments often require secure communication between machines and devices across large areas. Common challenges include securing wireless or wired LAN networks from external threats, dealing with the lack of inherent security in communication protocols, and controlling access to critical information.\n

    With the NetFoundry IIoT Connectivity Platform<\/a>, factories can deploy edge routers and tunnellers on OT devices or IIoT endpoints to establish secure, Zero Trust access between machines or applications within the factory. Features like mTLS, end-to-end encryption, and identity certificates ensure that all M2M communication is authenticated and authorized.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      NetFoundry Cloud Software for IIoT\/OT Systems<\/b><\/h3>\n

      Edge Compute Capabilities<\/b><\/h4>\n

      Modern edge environments often require localized data processing and real-time decision-making capabilities to reduce dependency on internet connectivity. NetFoundry provides various software options to embed Zero Trust software-defined overlay networks at the OT and IIoT edge. The edge hardware can be any x86, ARM, or MIPS-based hardware running Linux, or it can be virtualized as VMs or containerized via Docker or Kubernetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

      In larger factories running private cloud environments, NetFoundry\u2019s edge routers<\/a> can be deployed on VMs to handle high-volume data and sessions. Alternatively, NetFoundry tunnellers can be installed on OT\/IIoT gateways or any host, VM, or container involved in the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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      Integrating NetFoundry with OT\/IIoT Gateways<\/b><\/h2>\n

      OT and IIoT electronics manufacturers<\/b> or enterprises implementing these solutions can embed NetFoundry\u2019s tunnellers or edge routers onto their hardware, including OT\/IIoT gateways, industrial PCs (IPCs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and other industrial automation hardware. The choice between a router and a tunneler depends on various factors such as functionality requirements, traffic expectations, and hardware specifications.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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      One Platform, Multiple Use Cases\u2014All Secure by Design<\/b><\/h2>\n

      The use cases discussed above can be deployed within a single network on the NetFoundry Cloud platform. Each network receives its own dedicated controller and global fabric, allowing the same NetFoundry software to be deployed across public and private clouds, edge devices, OT\/IIoT gateways, and user devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Key security features include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n