2-factor authentication increases security of industrial systems

The new version of eCatcher, the eWON remote access VPN software, includes 2FA in order to protect the connection identity. This feature requires both 'something you know' and 'something you have' - a combination of login credentials and a security code that is provided in the form of a text message sent to the user's phone.

For more than 15 years, eWON has provided machine builders, OEMs and system integrators with secure PLC remote access for maintenance and diagnostics purposes. Due to the increasing frequency of internet-based attacks, security is at the forefront of eWON's remote access strategy.

Security is a major concern within the automation industry. Attackers are constantly seeking new ways to compromise valuable data, with 76 per cent of network intrusions exploiting weak or stolen credentials. Furthermore, 62 per cent of IP breaches in the manufacturing, services and technology industries involved stolen credentials, according to DBRI (Data Breach Investigations Report). This is where the 2FA feature comes into play.

2FA is a secure identification mechanism that combines two different components for unambiguous authentication. In other words, 2FA adds an extra step to the user login procedure. This is based on the principle that an unauthorised person trying to gain access is unlikely to be able to supply both factors required. While this is not new technology - banking institutions and many other businesses and service companies are developing it to protect their users - eWON is believed to be the first industrial communications company to add this new security layer to its customer accounts.

For more information on the two-factor authentication feature from eWON, go to www.mac-solutions.net.