Just add cybersecurity to the routine maintenance club

Just as process safety practices became part of routine maintenance in recent decades, cybersecurity is also easier to adopt and maintain if it integrates with same group.

For example, Söderenergi recently migrated from complex and inefficient manual control system monitoring to automate and digitalize with ABB Ability 800xA distributed controls and ServicePort software-based service platform, including its cybersecurity and loop-performance monitoring services. Söderenergi is an electricity and heating utility based in Södertälje, Sweden, that burns mainly bio-based and recycled fuels in compliance with ISO 14001 to produce heat for about 300,000 residents in the southern part of greater Stockholm, and generates electricity equivalent to what’s used by about 100,000 households per year (Figure 1).

As part of its multiyear service agreement with ABB, Söderenergi and ServicePort compare data gathered during scheduled and on-demand analyses against best practices and standards to detect performance irregularities. The collected data is classified based on established key performance indicators (KPI) to produce a list of items that are prioritized based on severity, criticality and/or financial impact. This analysis pinpoints issues, and allows tracking and development of accurate trend-performance histories, so decisions can be made with added insight into making the utility’s systems perform better with higher availability (Figure 2).

Similarly, ServicePort’s cybersecurity monitoring program compares system data with industry-specific best practices and standards to detect vulnerabilities, and identify processes requiring actions to protect Söderenergi’s control system by maintaining its multiple cybersecurity layers. This service is non-invasive, can be applied to any control system, and provides continuous, remote monitoring and periodic or regularly scheduled security reviews. Finally, the utility also adopted ABB’s security update service that automates handling of approved security updates and antivirus files. ABB also assists with remote support via a direct line to Söderenergi.

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“ServicePort continuously gathers information from our 800xA system and gives us predictive data, so we can see more easily if we have any problems in our system, and learn where to focus future efforts,” says Magnus Arnersten, production unit supervisor in Söderenergi’s automation group. “This service agreement also helps discover control circuits that aren’t fully optimized, which will save money with more effective regulation. Transitioning from manual to automated diagnostics not only simplified maintenance and monitoring of our 10 800xA systems, it also prepared us for an equally important upgrade of our IT security.”

Because today’s process automation systems are more closely networked than ever, they’re also more vulnerable to new risks that threaten control system availability and security. Even an oversight in loading a software security patch, or retention of old software versions can expand their potential cyber-attack surfaces.

“Normally, industrial automation systems don’t have the latest operating systems or software. Many companies tend to remain with existing software for years, and frequently don’t update the operating system with new security patches. As a result, process engineers don’t dare update their virus protection because there’s a risk it isn’t verified and might knock out production,” explains Arnersten. “ABB’s service verifies that the latest virus updates will work with our existing software and securely maintain our systems.”