A unique challenge facing operators of industrial networks is the limited ability to update the operating systems (OS) in servers and workstations. In many cases, the OS can be upgraded only during a plant shutdown. In today’s industry, plant wide shutdowns for a variety of maintenance activities and upgrade projects might not take place any more often than every 5-10 years.
Additionally, the time between patching operating systems is delayed. Many industrial automation control system manufacturers recommend installing a patch only after it has been tested. Some sites even conduct internal testing in a lab environment or on a digital twin of the network before installing the patch. As a result, servers running DCS platforms or various other applications can reach a point in which the OS is past the patch effectivity date or the OS even reaches end of life.
Download the "ICS Cybersecurity Solutions for Unsupported Operating Systems" guide to learn more.
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