The Significance of Origin Authentication in Digital Security and Goods Distribution Networks
In the world of industrial automation, ensuring the provenance of hardware and software components is crucial for maintaining supply chain cybersecurity. This is particularly relevant in the case of power inverters, used in various applications such as solar and wind farms, batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, and other assets.
Recent reports, such as one by Reuters, have highlighted the importance of provenance in cybersecurity, with a story about rogue components in power inverters that could potentially allow firewalls to be circumvented remotely. These components, often sourced from China, are often custom built and contain many hardware and software components, making it crucial to have a complete Hardware Bill of Materials (HBOM) and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM).
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides guidance for supply chain cybersecurity in the form of a special publication titled "Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations." This publication describes how to identify, assess, and respond to cybersecurity risks throughout the supply chain at all levels of an organization.
When assessing or procuring software systems or hardware, it is important to ask the supplier to list the components in the product. HBOMs are needed to identify and track hardware components in an asset or system and their provenance. SBOMs, which are becoming increasingly mandated in new regulations across various industries, provide details and supply chain relationships of software components.
To ensure the provenance of hardware and software components in industrial automation assets, best practices focus on verifying authenticity, controlling access, managing risks, and embedding security into the entire lifecycle of components. Key measures include:
1. Vendor Risk Management and Cybersecurity Assessments: Implement rigorous vendor risk programs requiring suppliers to undergo cybersecurity assessments, ensuring they meet minimum security standards. 2. Supply Chain Transparency and Provenance Tracking: Maintain detailed records and use technologies such as secure hardware identifiers, digital signatures, and cryptographic verification methods to authenticate components. 3. Zero Trust and Identity Management: Treat all identities—including human and machine—with strict access control policies. 4. Cybersecurity-by-Design: Embed security controls and provenance verification into the architecture of assets from the outset. 5. Incident Response Integration: Include supply chain partners in incident response plans with clear roles and communication protocols. 6. Continuous Monitoring and Compliance: Use Managed Detection and Response solutions that provide real-time visibility into both IT and OT environments. 7. Align with Regulations and Standards: Follow frameworks like NIS2, ISO 27001, IEC 62443 which provide guidelines on supply chain security and component integrity verification. 8. Employee Awareness and Secure Processes: Provide tailored cybersecurity training and enforce secure procurement and deployment procedures to mitigate risks from phishing or misconfiguration.
In summary, ensuring provenance in industrial automation supply chains requires a combination of technical verification, strict identity and access controls, vendor cybersecurity requirements, collaborative incident response, and embedding security throughout design and operational phases. Modern approaches like Zero Trust architectures and continuous monitoring greatly enhance the ability to authenticate and safeguard hardware and software components against supply chain threats. These practices collectively help manufacturers maintain operational continuity and meet evolving regulatory demands.
The CISA also has a Hardware Bill of Materials Framework for Supply Chain risk Management. As the importance of provenance in cybersecurity and the supply chain continues to grow, it is essential for manufacturers to prioritize these best practices to protect their assets and maintain the integrity of their operations.
In the realm of industrial automation, the importance of maintaining the provenance of hardware and software components is highlighted in the context of supply chain cybersecurity, particularly in power inverters used in various applications. To address this, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers guidance through a publication titled "Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations." Best practices include vendor risk management, supply chain transparency, zero trust and identity management, cybersecurity-by-design, incident response integration, continuous monitoring, and aligning with regulations. Furthermore, the CISA also provides a Hardware Bill of Materials Framework for supply chain risk management, emphasizing the need for manufacturers to prioritize these practices to protect their assets and maintain operational integrity.
