When was the last time you thought about all of the devices running on your network? Think of your home network and how deceptively simple it appears. A full inventory of that network would probably surprise you, as it would show all of the devices that you may have forgotten about as well as a few of the neighbor’s devices that are piggy-backing off of your Wi-Fi. This visibility is often shocking to many people.

Now, think of a larger network consisting of hundreds of devices. Gaining full visibility into all the devices on a corporate network can be a stunning experience. If you go one step further and imagine an industrial network, the scope of discovery can be almost unimaginable. Industrial networks such as those that control water treatment facilities, oil pipelines, and gas distribution can exceed thousands of devices of varying types and ages. This makes gaining visibility very difficult and even more important because it can affect uptime, safety, and reliability.

Challenges for Industrial Networks

One reason that a full inventory is difficult to achieve is due to the sheer complexity of these networks. Not only are they complex in their architecture, but they are also vast in their topographical layout.

Another challenge that prevents greater visibility is that there are disparate manufacturer devices spread throughout the network. Some environments cannot simply have a sensor deployed or an agent installed to discover assets without causing a possible service disruption, something which can be catastrophic in an industrial setting. 

Introducing Tripwire Industrial Edge

Tripwire recently released a new product, Tripwire Industrial Edge. Powered by industrial cybersecurity firm Claroty, Tripwire Industrial Edge provides full visibility into an industrial network. Tripwire Industrial Edge overcomes the challenges of agents and sensors by using a standalone executable file. It is (Read more...)