Trend Micro extends cyber protection for large-scale industrial networks

The convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) in smart factories has led to massive advances in productivity. However, the same is not true in the case of security. The long-established tradition of deploying a flat and highly interconnected network architecture is making large-scale industries increasingly susceptible to cyber attacks.

Offering a solution to this problem, cyber security firm Trend Micro has announced EdgeIPS Pro, an intent-based industrial intelligent IPS array. The system, which Trend Micro claims is the first of its kind, has been designed specifically for industrial environments by TXOne Networks, a joint venture between Trend Micro and industrial networking solutions provider Moxa.

An extension of Trend Micro’s extensive smart factory security suite, EdgeIPS Pro aims to keep operating expenses low for large-scale industrial networks, through centralised management and simple deployment. For example, Trend Micro says that there is no need to change the network configuration of existing IT assets.

“As we face an ever-changing digital landscape, the successful convergence of IT and OT is now critical to business,” said Akihiko Omikawa, executive vice president of IoT security for Trend Micro and chairman of TXOne Networks. “Adding EdgeIPS Pro as an integral part of Trend Micro’s Smart Factory Security Solution is a milestone for protecting large-scale industrial networks on the shop floor. The IT-friendly deployment and management allows organizations to continue running operations while keeping serious threats at bay.”

EdgeIPS Pro also comes with TXOne’s one-pass Deep Packet Inspection (TXODPI) technology, which enables network segmentation for added security and efficient centralized management of large-scale industrial networks.

“The lack of network segmentation to stop malware propagation is the most common issue in the control network layer and a real challenge for ICS environments as they require deeper and wider industrial network protocol support,” said Dr. Terence Liu, General Manager for TXOne Networks. “EdgeIPS Pro allows administrators to organize network segmentation by business intention.”