Embedded virus protection for Windows-based control systems

June 10, 2005
While effective virus protection is just one element in an overall automation system security strategy, users can be confident that their Windows-based workstations will be well-protected against both incoming and outgoing viruses.

THE FOXBORO AUTOMATION unit of Invensys Process System has announced that all new I/A Series Workstations for Windows will come with McAfee VirusScan Enterprise software pre-installed at the factory. This provides I/A Series systems with a very high degree of protection from plant disruptions caused by software virus outbreaks beginning right from the point of manufacture through system setup, configuration, acceptance testing, commissioning, and day-to-day process control operations.

"To the best of our knowledge - and we've done quite a bit of research on this point - no other major automation vendor ships their control systems with virus protection software already installed. Factory installation is critical, because potential vulnerability to computer virus' begins the minute the system is started up and connected to a network," said Ernie Rakaczky, director of process control system security at Invensys Process Systems. "While effective virus protection is just one element in an overall automation system security strategy, I/A Series users can be confident the that their Windows-based workstations will be well-protected against both incoming and outgoing virus' and that Invensys has pre-qualified the embedded McAfee VirusScan Enterprise software to ensure that it will not interfere with their mission-critical industrial applications."

For more information on Invensys' comprehensive control network security program, readers can contact the Invensys Customer Satisfaction Center at 866-746-6477 (508-549-2424 outside of the US and Canada).

For more information on the I/A Series automation system, readers can contact their local Foxboro system representative, call 1-866-746-6477, or go to www.foxboro.com.