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Byres Security announces Tofino OPC Enforcer firewall

September 2, 2010 - Byres Security announced the Tofino OPC Enforcer firewall. This module locks down any industrial network using the previously hard to secure OPC Classic protocol. Using deep packet inspection firewall technology, the Tofino OPC Enforcer provides superior security over what can be achieved with conventional firewall solutions. The result is improved network reliability, availability and security for any process control or SCADA company using OPC.

OPC Classic is widely used in control systems as an interoperability solution, interfacing control applications from multiple vendors. Unfortunately, as numerous studies show, the technologies underlying it were designed before network security issues were widely understood. As a result, OPC Classic has been almost impossible to secure until now.

While the OPC Foundation is working hard to get its new and more secure OPC-UA technology into the market place, it will be years, if not decades, before all legacy OPC DA, HAD and A&E installations are replaced. In the meantime, the Tofino product addresses the security gap by providing a plug-n-protect solution that can be deployed in minutes without changes to existing OPC systems.

The Tofino OPC Enforcer provides two important benefits to control systems users:
1. It provides robust security and stability for any system using OPC DA, HAD or A&E, thus preventing industrial network attacks and accidents. Unlike other firewalls, this product inspects, tracks and secures every connection made by an OPC application, opening only the exact TCP port required for a connection between an OPC client and server.
2. It is implemented without any control system changes. The Tofino hardware is simply installed into the live network and configured using a drag and drop editor to select permitted clients and servers. Once installed, network security is assured, with all OPC traffic managed behind the scenes.

The recent Stuxnet worm attacks against Siemens HMIs and PLC systems has highlighted the need for better security on the plant floor. At the same time, many incidents result from internal network problems.

Availability and Requirements
The Tofino OPC Enforcer is available from Byres Security, MTL Instruments and Belden / Hirschmann. It requires the Tofino Security Appliance, the Tofino Central Management Platform and the Tofino Firewall LSM.

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