EECO Asks Why Podcast

Why Cybersecurity Belongs Inside Your Industrial Control Panel


Listen Later

Cyber risk stops being abstract the moment a control panel becomes a bridge between the plant floor and the outside world. We pull back the door on modern industrial control panels and show how they’ve evolved into the central hub for switches, firewalls, remote access, and data pathways that keep production moving—or bring it to a halt. Using a smart home as a simple frame, we unpack why a physical lock isn’t enough and how layered defenses protect uptime, quality, and safety.

We walk through the real risks leaders face: unauthorized access by outsiders or insiders operating beyond their role, subtle shifts to setpoints and logic that quietly degrade OEE, and incidents where cyber failures trigger physical consequences. Then we get practical. Secure design starts inside the panel with segmentation between control networks and enterprise IT, industrial firewalls, managed switches, and well-defined remote access. Governance matters as much as gear, so we outline clear authority boundaries, human override rules, and audit trails that build trust and accountability on the floor.

Security doesn’t end at commissioning. We emphasize lifecycle patching, documentation, and future-proofing so updates aren’t scary and “temporary” workarounds don’t become permanent backdoors. Because people make or break any control, we share tactics to reduce friction: role-based access that’s fast, labeled interfaces, simple credentials, and training that explains the why behind every safeguard. Finally, we invite you to pressure-test these ideas in our hands-on labs, where you can validate architectures with real PLCs and HMIs before deploying to live lines.

Keep Asking Why...

Read our latest article on Industrial Manufacturing here
https://eecoonline.com/inspire/panels_202

Online Account Registration:
Video Explanation of Registering for an Account
Register for an Account

Other Resources to help with your journey:
Installed Asset Analysis Support
System Planning Support
Schedule your Visit to a Lab in North or South Carolina
Schedule your Visit to a Lab in Virginia

Submit your questions and feedback to: [email protected]

Follow EECO on LinkedIn

Host: Chris Grainger

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

EECO Asks Why PodcastBy Electrical Equipment Company

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

61 ratings