With digital transformation comes the need for robust cyber security specific to the OT domain. Looking to the IT domain can offer solutions, argues Lee Carter.

Process safety refers to the comprehensive measures taken to minimise risks and hazards in industrial processes, ensuring that they run reliably and without accidents or incidents.

Mark Breese discusses Control of Work risk management and the effect that this can have on functional safety.

Roger Chen discusses the benefits of virtual patching solutions and argues that an operational technology (OT) centred cybersecurity platform is critical for industrial applications.

Suzanne Gill finds out that when it comes to cybersecurity the role of the human cannot be overemphasized. As industrial cybersecurity risks increase it is vital that all employees have a good understanding of their role in helping to ensure safe and secure operations.

Find out more about a solution that enables real-time data to be collected from machine safety devices.

Matthew Youngs discusses the key considerations of ATEX and IECEx certified electronics for use in hazardous applications.

Ian Wright offers advice to end users on what they need to know about their machinery manufacturer’s EMC obligations.

Suzanne Gill posed the following question to a variety of cybersecurity experts: 'What is the best piece of advice you can offer end-users keen to ensure that their connected OT devices do not offer a potential attack surface for bad actors?'

For industrial automation systems, seamless data connectivity is now as important as basic control functionality. Platforms providing built-in, defense-in-depth cybersecurity provisions are the best way to defend these highly connected solutions, argues Steve Rawlins.

Ilan Barda offers advice on securing operational technology devices.

Ethernet-APL was developed to enable digital communication in process automation from the sensor to the control level. It has all the features required by a process automation network. A recent whitepaper argues that, to exploit the advantages of digitalisation, functionally safe automation should also be implemented utilising the same network architecture.

The offshore oil and gas industry, with its remote drilling rigs do not make for the easiest digitalisation projects with harsh conditions, confined spaces, and limited WLAN connectivity.

Where safety and compliance in hazardous environments are concerned, there are a lot of acronyms relating to standards, directives, and regulations. To help tackle the minefield, safety compliance expert and AEMT lecturer, Peter Rawlinson, looks at the key requirements concerning hazardous environments, what they cover and how they relate to each other.

Suzanne Gill investigates the network security threats currently facing the operational technology (OT) environment today.

David Goodfellow offers advice on implementing, and obtaining certification for, an information security management system according to the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001.

Industry 4.0 adoption is pushing industry towards a more automated, and sophisticated manufacturing process. As devices, systems and processes become increasingly digitalised and interconnected, the Internet of Things (IoT) opens a wealth of opportunities. However, they also present a cyberattack opportunity for criminals, warns Joe Lomako. 

Key questions about factory-floor and industrial cybersecurity, as IT and OT communication networks rapidly converge, are addressed in a whitepaper from HMS Industrial Networks.

Remote access and cybersecurity is already part of everyday life on the IT side. In the industrial production and development environments various jobs can and should also be done externally. Together, Siemens and Zscaler have tackled this issue to bring secure and demand-based remote access to the operational technology (OT) environment – combining perimeter-based cell protection with flexible Zero Trust principles.

Rhodri Morgan discussed the requirements and regulations required for equipment used in potentially explosive environments.