Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
22 I ICT TODAY As the sophistication of an Ethernet network for building or factory automation grows, features once found only in enterprise class devices are finding their way into daily use at the workgroup level. Access control features can be configured in some switches and routers to allow only specific workstations to access a device or pass through to a target. These features include virtual LAN implementation, port security, password implementation, and access control list filtering on supported switches and routers. Using SPE to extend Ethernet to IoT devices enables security via telemetry, meaning the power state of end points becomes known and cannot be spoofed. Single-pair Ethernet also allows security features to be implemented both in the data and the power domains. The 10 Base-T1L and 10Base-T1S with transmission control protocol (TCP) IP in the database offers a multitude of security features throughout the Ethernet stack and the network man- agement panes. These security features, combined with single point of failure power contracts and security via telemetry, enable the tightened security needed for future OT networks. Since IoT devices will support critical infrastructure for commercial buildings and industrial process control operations, security of the data and reliability of the connection is paramount. The reliability of device data, especially sensor data, is highly dependent on the reliabil- ity of the device connection to the network and its power source. Lost connections can mean the loss of critical data needed for building operations. MAINTENANCE AND POWER SECURIT Y While much attention is focused on beefing up security for IT, BASs have, for the most part, flown under the radar. To a certain extent, having disparate and unconnected networks provide a layer of protection against unautho- rized access. Many legacy systems depend on a "security through obscurity" mindset. Nobody knows what it is. Nobody knows it is there. Therefore, nobody messes with it. While that may have worked in the past, cybersecurity issues related to these protocols have become more com- mon, thereby making existing OT subnets susceptible to malicious actors. At the same time, the generational transition occurring in the workforce is creating a short- age of expertise to manage and maintain OT networks running on legacy protocols. Furthermore, it solves the problem of keeping edge devices' firmware (FW) up to date due to the non-connectivity to an IP network. The KNX acronym, an abbreviation for the word Konnex, is a network standard that is basically an OSI-based network com- munications protocol that is extensively designed and developed for building automation. A KNX/twisted-pair (TP) network's transmission rate of 9.600 Baud makes it necessary to update FW on edge devices locally. As mentioned earlier, existing OT subnets are suscep- tible to malicious actors. Simply gaining access to the physical network can lead to the introduction of malware that creates a back door to the entire company's network. The Forescout Building Automation Risk Report 2020 explored the common systems that make organizations vulnerable to cyberattacks and how these systems could be exploited. Their research predicts that by 2026 there will be 56 million new BAS devices deployed and that the number of identified vulnerabilities in BAS devices has already increased 500 percent between 2016 and 2019. The report further states that 39.3 percent of publicly reachable BAS devices are vulnerable to attack, including HVAC programmable logic controllers (PLCs), access control PLCs, and protocol gateways. Enhancing BAS cybersecurity programs with device visibility and network monitoring can give organizations a thorough understanding of the environment and its connections, making it easier to design effective security architectures, identify attack vectors, and locate blind spots. With the anticipated growth of building automation devices, one of the greatest challenges to smart buildings is maintenance. Multiple protocols mean understanding and maintaining multiple networks. Many of these devices will be located in challenging environments for wireless communication, often behind walls or in enclosed spaces. But there is another aspect to maintenance that involves power: data protocols must have a power counterpart. There are several existing power solutions for OT networks, but many fall short as density scales upward.