Nozomi Networks Inc., a supplier of industrial security technology, says it has introduced the “industry’s first operations technology (OT) and IoT security sensor” that runs embedded in
Mitsubishi Electric programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This sensor, called Arc Embedded, reportedly allows security and operations teams to gain previously unavailable visibility at the process level of their industrial automation equipment and field assets. The sensor also helps analyze and deter process level threats and malicious user activity without impacting current resources or disrupting mission-critical networks.
Before Arc Embedded, Nozomi Networks said there wasn’t a good way for security teams to get continuous insights into what was happening at the physical layer of a control system, i.e., inside and below the PLC layer (Level 1) in the Purdue model. Now, with Arc Embedded running directly on the host PLC, Nozomi Networks said security teams can continuously monitor the health of the controller with data from every module.
Understanding the status and behavior of Level 0 devices during an attack helps to mitigate the impacts and ensure the safety and integrity of operations. That’s why key features of Arc Embedded allow security teams to understand:
- Continuous PLC status, including inventory, software, hardware, vulnerability data and performance data.
- Physical access to the PLC, including USB connections, files transferred over USB and other malicious HIDs (host-based intrusion detection systems).
- PLC status and status changes, including changes to ladder logic.
- Visibility to monitor Level 0 field assets, including unusual readings or behaviors.
According to Nozomi Networks, with real-time monitoring of Level 0 devices, any unusual readings or behaviors can be quickly detected to help identify potential cyberattacks or other problems. Security teams can be alerted to any sudden changes in PLC status or sensor data, and quickly respond to prevent malicious activities or operational problems that could cause physical damage to essential equipment or even pose safety risks. During an attack, knowing the exact status and behavior of Level 0 devices helps security teams accurately identify which parts of the system are impacted and respond effectively with targeted mitigation to prevent potential devastating operational impacts.
Arc Embedded can collect Level 1 and 0 data even when the host PLC is offline or not sending traffic, delivering comprehensive 24x7 visibility and detection for critical operations, said Nozomi Networks.
The implementation of Arc Embedded in Mitsubishi Electric PLCs makes it possible “for the first time ever for organizations to monitor east-west activity to detect and respond to cyber incidents at the PLC level before they can do harm or escalate across the entire industrial operations environment,” said Nozomi Networks. “This proactive approach strengthens operational resilience, reduces downtime, protects critical infrastructure and maintains process integrity.”
“Arc Embedded can transform how CISOs manage and protect critical infrastructure, extending security to and through industrial control systems, down to the field assets they manage,” said Andrea Carcano, Nozomi Networks co-founder and chief product officer. “Through our joint work [with Mitsubishi Electric], customers in a variety of industries can feel confident deploying Arc Embedded in Mitsubishi Electric PLCs, strengthening security all the way to the physical process. This is a revolutionary approach that makes it possible to extend in-depth real-time monitoring of assets, network traffic, anomaly detection and threat identification directly to process controls. Ultimately, it improves the safety, security and reliability of the automation processes we depend upon and sparks the imagination for what’s possible when advanced security is embedded at the device level.”
Arc Embedded for Mitsubishi Electric iQ-R series PLCs is available via a subscription-based model from Mitsubishi Electric, Nozomi Networks and Nozomi Networks’ channel partners.
