{"id":3794,"date":"2020-02-13T09:58:12","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T08:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/update.phoenixcontact.com\/news\/irma-keeps-watch\/"},"modified":"2020-10-30T10:46:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T09:46:35","slug":"irma-keeps-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/update.phoenixcontact.com\/en\/irma-keeps-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"IRMA keeps watch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Big Brother is watching you. Even more so if it\u2019s actually a member of your own family and not an unknown intruder. The public utilities in Bad Pyrmont therefore tend to rely on a \u201cbig sister,\u201d namely IRMA.<\/p>\n\n

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Thorsten Hamann and Frank Jakob (v.l.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

F rank Jakob and Thorsten Hamann can only be ap- proached if the gentlemen want to be: their empire is separated from the rest of the Bad Pyrmont public util- ities by a security door. For good reason, because the two of them work in the public utility company\u2019s Control Engineer- ing department. This is where information on the supply lines for electricity, water, wastewater, and gas all comes together, is checked and repair or service work is initiated if necessary. It\u2019s not exactly an area where visitors should be able to come and go as they please. \u201cThat\u2019s precisely a part of the first stage of our security concept.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Health resort with tradition<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cIn this control room, we monitor the supply for around 18,000 residents of our metropolitan area,\u201d says Frank Jakob, Head of the Control Engineering department. \u201cIn addition to the elec- tricity, water, and gas networks, we also monitor the supply of district heating to key accounts. Bad Pyrmont is a spa town rich in tradition with numerous public facilities and a wealth of history, including the local state spa with the Steigenberger Hotel, the concert hall, and the pump room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

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In the control system of the Bad Pyrmont public utility <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

\u201cThe sensor technology with which we monitor the sup- ply is almost completely connected by copper cable,\u201d explains Thorsten Hamann. \u201cOf course, we too are relying more and more on the digitalization of our systems in order to act faster and more reliably. Not only do we install them, but we also assemble our own control cabinets and program our own con- trol systems, which provide remote maintenance on site.\u201d The technician is not only well-versed in the numerous special cases that arise from the mix of topics involving gas, water, and electricity. <\/p>\n\n

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Installation and commissioning are carried out under our own direction <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Hamann is also responsible for monitoring surveillance, particularly for IRMA. \u201cAs an energy provider, we are subject to the requirements for what is often called critical infrastructure. The lawmakers require us to take particularly strict measures to protect and secure the systems.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

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This is where IRMA hides, in its own 17″ rack <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

These measures are continuously monitored by experts who analyze the facilities and their structures in detail during regular visits to the Bad Pyrmont public utilities. These visits are called audits. If a supplier passes this audit, it receives the required certification to continue operating, regu- lated by DIN\u00a027001. \u201cDuring the last audit, it was determined that our central firewall no longer met the cybersecurity requirements,\u201d Frank Jakob tells us. <\/p>\n\n

Monitoring in the background<\/h4>\n\n

\u201cSo it was urgently time to dive deep into the issue. And in such a way that we will be able to carry out our own administrative work here in the future. \nAnd that\u2019s when we became aware of IRMA.\u201d So what does this abbreviation mean? Hauke\u00a0K\u00e4sting, one of Phoenix Contact\u2019s security experts, explains: \u201cIRMA stands for Industrial Risk Management Automation, and is based on a case-hardened Linux application installed on an industrial PC from Phoenix Contact. The system works in the background and independently monitors all participants and communication connections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n