ABB controller achieves Mu Security Certification

An ABB Automation Tech (Instrumentation + Automation) product story

Edited by the Processingtalk editorial team Dec 6, 2007

One of the first to achieve dual certification to leading industry cyber security standards, the ABB AC800M controller has achieved Mu Security Industrial Control Foundation-level certification

The recently introduced MUSIC (Mu Security Industrial Control) certification enables critical infrastructure and process control-focused organisations to verify a range of network equipment and application protocols to meet industry-defined best practices for security, robustness and resiliency testing.

Certification benchmarking ensures that on-going plant and product safety is not compromised by hidden implementation flaws in industrial control systems.

Achieving MUSIC certification confirms that the AC800M meets industry-defined best practices for safety, reliability and security.

During the evaluation process, the AC800M met or exceeded the requirements of the MUSIC multi-faceted security and stress tests.

"Control system security is a critical concern to our customers, and a key element of today's control system strategies; MUSIC certification assures them that their control system meets or exceeds very stringent security and robustness criteria," said Alicia Bauer, Director of Systems Marketing for ABB: "ABB is committed to providing our customers with trusted, high integrity solutions that will help them operate more safely, securely, and productively.

Our System 800xA AC 800M controller is one of the first controllers in the industry to have achieved both Foundation-level MUSIC and Achilles Level 1 security certification".

MUSIC Foundation and Advanced certifications both ensure critical infrastructure and process control-focused organisations verify a diverse range of network equipment and application protocols to meet industry-defined best practices for safety, reliability and security testing.

MUSIC certification and product safety benchmarking using the Mu-4000 appliance minimises oil, gas, chemical, paper, electrical and other process control product safety issues and minimises costly downtime due to implementation flaws in industrial control systems.

The MUSIC programme also provides a migration path to open industrial control systems security specifications currently under development by Government and industry groups including ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI) and ISA SP99.

System 800xA extends the scope of traditional control systems to include all automation functions in a single operations and engineering environment so that plants/mills can run smarter and better at substantial cost savings.

Its reach extends well beyond the realm of essential process control to production management, safety, smart instrumentation, smart drives and motor control, information management, asset optimisation, simulation, and documentation.

The System 800xA unique engineering environment manages one set of consistent data, for single-point entry, single-point change, and re-use across the plant.