Challenge

Solution

Result

Viega, an innovative manufacturing company, aims to leverage the potential of production digitalization. Intelligent controls, data-driven process optimization, and connected machines can realize improvements in speed, quality, and efficiency.

However, the connection of OT to the company’s IT also exposes the plants to new risks.

Increased risk of cybercrime
Across the world, cyberattacks focus on the manufacturing industry. Production lines are shut down by criminals using ransomware to extort ransom payments. This results in delivery delays and quality defects, putting the company’s reputation at risk.

Missing updates for outdated machines
Due to the wide range of products Viega manufactures, a number of different machines are in use. As the machine manufacturers do not provide updates, the operating systems of these machines quickly become vulnerable—a widespread problem in the manufacturing industry.

High costs due to complex retrofitting
The machines must be temporarily shut down to manually install updates and address the vulnerabilities. Retrofitting a system quickly generates costs of €200,000 or more.

As a last resort, the only way to extend the machine’s lifespan is to disconnect it from the company network, and take it offline. This isn’t an option for Viega, as it would mean losing all the networking advantages in Industry 4.0.

»It was clear to us that communication via insecure protocols on older machines was the biggest operational security risk, for which a solution had to be found quickly«

Moritz Porobin, Plant Asset Manager IT/OT, Viega GmbH & Co. KG

TRIOVEGA was already working on an innovative solution for this OT security issue before the collaboration with Viega. edge.SHIELDOR encloses systems in a kind of time capsule that ensures secure communication with the machine, even without updates.

As a close collaborator, Viega played a crucial role in the development phase by providing concrete requirements. The proof-of-concept test was finally carried out at the largest Viega plant in Germany. A prototype of edge.SHIELDOR was successfully deployed on a lathe. The solution is now being rolled out across four German and two US plants.

The rollout of edge.SHIELDOR is making a decisive contribution to increasing OT security at Viega. In addition, the software also enables substantial savings and optimizations:

OT security costs are significantly reduced by mitigating 80% of risks

Increased efficiency through data science

Reduction of network administration resources

»If we compare the total costs of such a retrofit with the costs for edge.SHIELDOR, it is often a no-brainer.«

Moritz Porobin, Plant Asset Manager IT/OT, Viega GmbH & Co. KG