2FA in the manufacturing industry
It is almost common knowledge that digitisation has fully embraced the industry and that diversification and timeliness of data is now one of the most important raw materials for the manufacturing industry. However, there are still many question marks over what security aspects are involved. At first glance, there is a tension between accessibility and the desire to involve external partners and customers more closely, as well as the need to reliably protect sensitive data.
An important approach in this area of conflict is 2FA. A single 2FA is similar to a single key. Without a solid door frame, door and a well thought-out locking system, a single key provides little security. This is precisely why integrated security solutions are in demand in the complex industrial environment - for security reasons as well as for economic and financial reasons. Here is a concrete example:
IoT and Industry 4.0
In a connected world, the cloud offers a great opportunity: when machines are networked via IoT platforms and customers can access digital customer portals in a simple and user-friendly way. But when customers and partners have access to machines, identities must be clearly defined and reliably managed via a cIAM. On the other hand, authentication mechanisms must also be intuitively understandable and cost-efficient to use.
2FA and cIAM
What may still sound very abstract can be illustrated with the following scenario. A production manager would like to check the status of his CNC machines from a planning meeting via an app - of course quite simply via "One-Touch". But if he also needs to change machine settings via user self-services if necessary - then not only a 2FA solution is required, but also a cIAM. This is because, on the one hand, companies want to ensure that only authorized employees can access the production process at all, and on the other hand, only trained personnel can change machine settings. Thus, an integrated 2FA-cIAM solution offers not only optimized process flows with modern technologies, but also the protection of valuable production data and fulfillment of compliance and liability requirements.
High cost efficiency
This example is just one of many possibilities that demonstrate the advantages of integrated solutions. The basic rule is: With a coordinated IT security architecture, processes can be simplified, costs reduced and an attractive TCO achieved. The principle here is the same as in industrial production itself: singular solutions are expensive - e.g. a stand-alone 2FA. But standardization and scaling lead to the required efficiency - via a cIAM and an integrated Secure Access Hub.
Individualization is trump card and a market advantage: this applies to the user experience as well as to the IT security of companies. This is why specific authentication options are required for specific use cases. For example, a simple social login may be sufficient to access a personalized online configurator, while much higher security is required to confirm an online order.
![[Translate to Englisch:] Tablet](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/3/csm_EGN_Airlock-Blog_2880_Newsletter_01_9738ee447c.webp)
Blognews directly to your inbox
The Airlock Newsletter informs you continuously about new blog articles.