Developing machines safely right from the start

Digitalization in mechanical and plant engineering is in full swing. Machines are increasingly networked with each other and with digital services. They are becoming part of the Industrial Internet of Things. However, this also provides a new target for cyber attacks, which can range from spying on sensitive data to manipulating and disrupting operations. To make matters worse, security vulnerabilities can also impair functional safety: With networked systems, there is no longer safety without security!

All safety requirements for software and hardware must therefore be taken into account during the development and design of machines and systems and aligned to the entire life cycle. Manufacturers and companies often lack the necessary expertise for this.

Fraunhofer IEM and Fraunhofer IOSB, together with the Mechanical Engineering Institute in Frankfurt, have designed a seminar to build up the necessary expertise in mechanical and plant engineering companies. The aim of the training course “Security by Design - Developing machines securely from the outset” is to transfer the know-how available to the project partners and required for Security by Design into broad industrial practice.

In close cooperation with the VDMA Industrial Security Working Group, specific needs on the company side were identified and taken into account when designing the seminar. The content structure of the training follows the principle of “Security by Design” and shows how security requirements must be considered throughout the entire development process in order to create products with the best possible security. After completing the seminar, participants will have the strategies, measures and know-how to implement product development that complies with the IEC 62443 standard in their own company.