Cybersecurity for Networked Robot Systems
What changed
Robots are networked devices: programming, telemetry, fleet management and remote support all use IP connections. That brings familiar IT risks into the production network, plus a specific safety dimension: an unauthorised change to a robot program can injure someone.
| Risk | Consequence | Basic control |
|---|---|---|
| Weak or default credentials | Unauthorised program change | Unique accounts, no shared passwords |
| Flat network | Lateral movement from office systems | Segmentation and firewall rules |
| Remote access without logging | Unattributable changes | Logged, time-limited vendor access |
| Unpatched controllers | Known exploits | Update policy with safety verification |
| USB media | Malware and program theft | Controlled media policy |
Practical starting points
- Inventory every robot controller with its IP address and owner.
- Back up programs and configurations off the controller, on a schedule.
- Segment the cell network from the office network.
- Require a change record for every program modification.
Frameworks to reference
IEC 62443 provides a widely used framework for industrial automation and control systems. It gives a vocabulary for zones, conduits and security levels, which helps when the security team and the automation team have to agree a design.