Siemens recently announced a verified cybersecurity solution for industrial private 5G Networks in collaboration with Palo Alto Networks. The solution combines Siemens' Private 5G infrastructure with Palo Alto Networks' Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), specifically optimized for AI, extensively tested to verify high availability, network resilience, and uninterrupted operations.
It enables manufacturers to meet diverse industrial security requirements while maintaining the critical performance their increasingly AI-driven productions demand.
Data-driven production systems require wireless connectivity for countless sensors and mobile assets, making private 5G essential infrastructure. At the same time, cyberattacks can cause costly downtimes or compromise worker safety. Additionally, regulations like NIS2 mandate defense-in-depth security architectures meeting IEC 62443 standards. Off-the-shelf IT security solutions often create performance bottlenecks or fail to address OT-specific threats in industrial environments.
The collaboration between Siemens and Palo Alto Networks addresses this gap. Palo Alto Networks has specifically optimized its NGFW technology for Siemens' Private 5G infrastructure through Siemens’ extensive testing across multiple deployment scenarios.
This verification process validates that the solution delivers industrial-grade security without compromising the low latency and high throughput required for real-time production systems – a critical distinction from generic IT security approaches.
The solution combines three elements for enhanced cybersecurity:
- Siemens’ private 5G Infrastructure provides on-premises, deterministic wireless connectivity for mobile and moving assets with built-in security features protecting the core network infrastructure. The solution ensures data sovereignty and low-latency communication independent of mobile network operators.
- SINEC Security Monitor. Siemens software for passive, non-intrusive, continuous on-premises security monitoring during production. The system identifies communication anomalies, unauthorized devices, or potential threats without impacting production operations.
- Palo Alto Networks Firewall delivers Layer 7 security and dedicated OT protocol analysis specifically optimized for industrial environments. Unlike generic IT security solutions, it provides deep packet inspection for OT protocols while maintaining the low latency required for real-time control applications – now also in wireless communications via private 5G networks. This includes protection against malware, intrusion attempts, and data exfiltration without the performance degradation typical of off-the-shelf security tools.
The solution is now available as part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio. For more information about Siemens’ Industrial 5G portfolio, please visit: https://www.siemens.com/private-5g-networks/
