The technical, security and operational factors that should be evaluated prior to selecting and implementing commercially available real-time data transfer (RTDT) solutions are the focuses of a report from the Automation Federation.

RTDT technologies transfer real-time data outside of core industrial automation and control system (IACS) environments. This means they have to meet rigorous standards to ensure protection of IACS assets and data.

The report, which was commissioned on behalf of the Linking Oil and Gas Industry to Improve Cybersecurity (LOGIIC) Commission, lists some critical factors that should be involved in analyzing RTDT solutions prior to their selection and implementation. These include:

• Differences between automation vendor and third-party solutions.
• Solution footprint and management.
• The use of third-party components within automation vendor solutions.
• Networking components.
• Importance of encryption.
• Networking and packet handling.
• Layered security.
• Use and maintenance of the solution.

The LOGIIC Consortium was established by members of the oil-and-gas industry in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Cyber Security Division (CSD) to study cybersecurity issues in IACS that impact safety, security and business performance. Learn more and download the report here.