Cyber attacks
is monitored, but the data traffi c. Data is constantly
buzzing back and forth in the Pyrmont public util-
Public utilities in sight
ity network; control systems transmit measured
values, smart meters report power consumption,
sensors send water levels. This data communica-
tion is fi rst recorded and “learned” by IRMA. “This
is the real work for us,” says Thorsten Hamann.
“We have to ‘teach’ IRMA the individual commu-
nication partners and virtually register them. Once
October
More than
2019 150
Attack
Langenfeld Public Utilities cyber attacks on critical in-
frastructure reported in 2018
September By
IRMA is smart enough, the system knows which
activities are normal. And most importantly, she’ll
know if there are any anomalies. For example,
when a controller starts to communicate not just
with the control room but also with other control-
lers in the network. Or a network participant estab-
lishes a connection to the Internet that isn’t one
2019
Attack
Stuttgart Public Utilities
2032
more than 40 million smart
meter gateways will be
installed in Germany
of their tasks. “Then IRMA will sound the alarm
and alert us to any malfunctions. But IRMA always
stays in the background. She’s a purely a monitor-
ing system, and therefore has no impact on our ac-
tive systems.”
We get to know our network
For Frank Jakob and his colleagues, this is one of the
main advantages of the system. But there is also a
very pleasant side effect, as Thorsten Hamann de-
scribes: “With IRMA, we’ve gotten to know our own
network in a completely new way. Only IRMA has
shown us who actually communicates with whom.
And from this knowledge, IRMA conjures up a con-
stantly updated network plan for us, which is im-
portant for the upcoming round of certifi cation. At
the push of a button.” (lo)
stadtwerke-bad-pyrmont.de
Center photo:
Have everything in view
and alert the technicians
if necessary: Thorsten
Hamann and Frank Jakob
This pump is really
still running. And it’s
remotely monitored!
17