Expertise

Security and Data Sovereignty: How SmartShape Ensures the Protection of Sensitive Information

Victor Bommelaer

Read : 4 min - 30 May 2024

Context and Importance: In the current context of Industry 4.0, where digital technologies are revolutionizing industrial operations, data security has become a top priority. Companies handle an unprecedented volume of sensitive and complex data, necessitating robust protection measures to prevent cyberattacks and ensure information confidentiality. SmartShape, a digital twin solution, stands out by placing data security and sovereignty at the heart of its architecture. This article explores how SmartShape guarantees the protection of sensitive information while offering maximum operational flexibility.

1. The Challenges of Data Security in Industry

Complexity and Sensitivity of Industrial Data: Industrial companies handle diverse types of data, ranging from product designs and manufacturing processes to operational and maintenance information. These data, often fragmented and stored in disparate systems, are vulnerable to cyber threats. The consequences of data breaches can be severe, including loss of intellectual property and costly operational disruptions​ ​.

Regulations and Security Standards: Compliance with international regulations such as ISO/IEC 27001 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is crucial for industrial companies. These standards define strict frameworks for managing and protecting data, imposing rigorous security measures to prevent breaches and ensure information confidentiality​ ​.

2. Security Measures Implemented by SmartShape

Data Encryption: SmartShape uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption to protect sensitive data both in transit and at rest. AES encryption is internationally recognized for its robustness and is used by organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the United States. This technology ensures that data is unreadable by unauthorized parties, thereby guaranteeing its confidentiality and integrity​ .

Hosting on Dedicated Servers: A distinctive feature of SmartShape is the ability for clients to host the software and data on their own dedicated servers. This provides complete isolation from the internet, thus reducing the risks of external intrusion. Compared to public cloud solutions, this approach offers a higher level of control and security, allowing companies to manage their data autonomously and in compliance with their internal security policies​ ​.

Use of Standard and Open Technologies: SmartShape relies on proven open technologies such as OpenSSL for encryption and Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) for hardware security. The use of these standards not only ensures enhanced security robustness but also provides transparency and interoperability with other security systems. These measures contribute to a reinforced protection of sensitive data while facilitating their management and integration into various IT environments​ ​.

3. Ensuring Data Sovereignty

Portability and Reversibility of Solutions: SmartShape offers maximum flexibility by allowing data migration between different environments without compromising their integrity. The portability and reversibility of solutions enable companies to maintain full control over their data, avoiding vendor lock-in and ensuring operational continuity even in case of provider changes​ .

Client Autonomy in Data Management: With the self-hosting option, SmartShape clients have total control over their data. This autonomy is crucial for sensitive sectors such as defense and critical infrastructure, where data sovereignty is essential to ensure national security and service resilience​.

4. Practical Cases of Security and Sovereignty with SmartShape

Military Sector: SmartShape has been successfully deployed in demanding military environments where data security and sovereignty are top priorities. For instance, military applications of SmartShape enable secure operational planning and predictive maintenance while ensuring the confidentiality of strategic information​ ​.

Energy Industry: In the energy sector, SmartShape helps manage sensitive data related to the operations and maintenance of critical infrastructure. The integration of digital twins with advanced security systems ensures the protection of crucial information and the continuity of operations​ ​.

Water Treatment and Critical Infrastructure: Water treatment companies use SmartShape to secure data from their supply and treatment networks. The ability of SmartShape to offer a real-time overview and protect sensitive information is essential to ensure the safety and efficiency of operations​ ​.

5. Challenges and Solutions for Data Security

Current Challenges: The increasing complexity of cyber threats requires continuous adaptation of security measures. Companies must face sophisticated attacks and increasingly stringent regulations, necessitating constant vigilance and investment in cutting-edge technologies to protect data​ ​.

Solutions and Best Practices: To address these challenges, SmartShape adopts a proactive approach by integrating advanced cybersecurity technologies and continuously training teams on best security practices. SmartShape’s commitment to data security and sovereignty helps companies protect their digital assets and comply with the most rigorous international standards​ ​.

Conclusion

Summary of Key Points: Data security and sovereignty are crucial challenges for modern industrial companies. SmartShape offers robust solutions to protect sensitive information and ensure compliance with international regulations. By integrating advanced security technologies and offering flexible hosting options, SmartShape allows companies to manage their data autonomously and securely.

Call to Action: To stay competitive in Industry 4.0, it is essential to adopt solutions that guarantee data security and sovereignty. Contact SmartShape to discover how their solutions can help your company protect its sensitive information and optimize its operations.

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