An All-in-One Security Testing Solution for Industrial Networks By Siemens

Initially created and used by Siemens, SINEC Security Inspector, is a software framework with a single user interface that combines various cybersecurity tools. It includes proven solutions for tasks like detecting assets, ensuring compliance, scanning for malware, and checking for vulnerabilities, and is now accessible for any industrial setting.

As industries increasingly rely on digital technologies, automation, and data-driven processes, the need to safeguard critical infrastructure and sensitive information has grown exponentially. The legal regulations to prevent cyberattacks, which can disrupt operations, compromise safety, and lead to financial losses, downtime, and environmental and safety hazards, create the need for a proactive and robust cybersecurity approach.

The SINEC Security Inspector, by Siemens, is a software framework for active one-time scanning that allows individual network devices, network segments or the entire network infrastructure to be scanned during maintenance time windows. It brings together a selection of best-in-class security tools which are integrated into a single user interface.

Saving critical time for network inspection

Manufacturers operating diverse machinery from various vendors in their factories encounter several network security challenges such as identifying assets, ensuring compliance, conducting malware scans, and checking for vulnerabilities. SINEC Security Inspector offers a comprehensive solution to address all of these challenges, providing a streamlined approach to enhancing network security in industrial settings.

“Siemens SINEC Security Inspector brings a unique enhanced testing solution to the shopfloor and enables customers to check their entire IT/OT environment including all individual components”, says Michael Metzler, Vice President Horizontal Management Cybersecurity for Digital Industries at Siemens. “Customers can promptly discover risks and potential hazards which puts them in a position to swiftly mitigate cyber vulnerabilities. This results in an enormously reduced effort when inspecting industrial networks.” 

Open framework integrates third-party security tools

SINEC Security Inspector has been designed as an open framework. Besides offering security tools developed by Siemens it also contains tools for vulnerability management provided by the cybersecurity company Tenable. Furthermore, more internal and third-party testing tools will successively be added to cover more test cases in future. 

“With industrial companies transforming into digital enterprises, the importance of cybersecurity has grown tremendously in the last years”, Metzler says. “As a reaction, the SINEC Security Inspector was initially developed to scan our own factories for vulnerabilities in networks. After years of testing and improving this tool, it is now just right for protecting any industrial and manufacturing environment.”