Machines have a cybersecurity problem? In the past – and often still today – the reaction when experts report on cyber threats and incidents in the production environment has been one of incredulous amazement. The topic is now also an integral part of the lecture programme and stage talks at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. IT security in connection with functional safety is becoming a highly charged issue.
If we compare the machinery of a processing plant with a city, then functional safety represents all the protective measures that protect people and the environment from technical risks. For example, an automatic traffic light system prevents traffic accidents by regulating the flow of traffic. If a traffic light fails, a safety system must intervene to avoid chaos or accidents. Applied to machines, this means that functional safety ensures that systems do not pose a hazard even in the event of internal faults, such as defective sensors or software errors. Standards such as IEC 61508 or ISO 13849-1 define how such safety measures must be implemented in order to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
A practical example from industry: in a chemical plant, a pressure sensor measures the pressure in a reactor. If the pressure rises dangerously, the safety control automatically triggers a relief valve to prevent an accident. Functional safety ensures that this system also works reliably in the event of a fault.
Why is functional safety important for operators and manufacturers?
In a city, safety measures such as fire protection systems in buildings or bridge sensors to monitor stability ensure that people are protected and can go about their daily lives safely. The same applies to functional safety in industry.
- Protection of people and the environment: Malfunctions of technical systems can have serious consequences. For example, a defective valve in a refinery can cause dangerous gases to escape. Functional safety protects against such scenarios.
- Avoiding downtime: In a city, a power outage is not only inconvenient, but can paralyse entire infrastructures. Similarly, safety functions in systems prevent unplanned downtime by detecting and rectifying faults.
- Compliance with legal requirements: Just like building regulations for buildings, operators and manufacturers must comply with safety standards in order to have their machines approved. These requirements are described, for example, in the IEC 61508 or IEC 61511 standards.
What is cybersecurity and how is it related to functional safety?
Cybersecurity can be compared to a city wall and a security service designed to prevent unauthorised access to the city. Without protection, attackers could enter the city and carry out acts of sabotage, such as poisoning water sources or manipulating traffic control systems. In industry, cybersecurity – often also referred to as ‘OT security’ in production environments – protects against threats such as hacker attacks that could manipulate data or sabotage equipment. These attacks can directly endanger functional safety by overriding safety mechanisms.
For example, imagine an attacker manipulating the pressure sensors in a chemical plant so that false values are reported. The safety control system believes that everything is fine, even though the pressure is rising dangerously. Without functional safety combined with cybersecurity, such an attack could lead to a disaster.
