Smart phones can be an asset on the plant floor, letting operators look at current plant data and make intelligent decisions. But, should personal devices be checked at the door, and are they a potential risk for cyberattacks? (NIST has been working on a way to make these devices more secure than they have been. Check out NIST’s Special Publication (second draft) entitled “Derived Personal Identify Verification (PIV) Credentials.”).
Steve Pflantz, CRB: Cell phones can connect to your facility network, and therefore, are a risk. Their connection to your network needs to be controlled and monitored just like any other wireless device access. If you are going to allow access via personal smart phones, the same level of control and use policy needs to apply just like company-provided phones.