Standardized and secure communication from the machine or field device to the enterprise server or into the cloud is no longer a vision. OPC UA makes it possible. The Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) is considered the class leader among communication standards for Industrie 4.0, at least for the German and European markets. Instead of converting proprietary manufacturer-specific protocols across network boundaries and dealing with data exchange issues in networks or on application layers, automation and plant operators can use a uniform protocol from the sensor to the cloud with OPC UA. However, the networking of devices, machines, and plants always involves security risks. So how should OPC UA be evaluated from the perspective of IT security?

In princi ...