Fortinet OT Security and the OPAF O-PAS Standard

The Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF) comprises more than 110 member organizations that collaborate on publications, standards, guides, and white papers for open, interoperable process control systems in industrial automation. OPAF is part of the Open Group, a global consortium that leads the development of open, vendor-neutral technology standards, best practices, and certifications for seamless integration and interoperability across enterprises. Formally launched in November 2016, originally as ExxonMobil initiative, OPAF develops and maintains the Open Process Automation Standards Standard or O-PAS™.

O-PAS is a "standard of standards" that defines an open, interoperable, and secure architecture for industrial process automation systems. The first version, released in 2018, dealt with interoperability and communications. Version 2 covered configuration portability and control functionality, with the most recent 2.1 final version released in 2023. Version 3.0 is scheduled to be released in 2024 and will cover physical platform application portability and system orchestration.

Open process automation (OPA) is an initiative to create new automation systems using an open instead of proprietary architecture. Many current industrial automation architectures are filled with proprietary systems and haven't kept up with technology advancements like the Internet of Things (IoT) or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The mission and vision of developing the O-PAS standard is to create an open architecture specification supported by industry users, suppliers, and integrators.

OPA covers multiple systems, including manufacturing execution systems, distributed control systems, programmable logic controllers, human-machine interface, safety instrumented systems, and input/output points.

O-PAS focuses on safety, discoverability, testability, interchangeability, and other elements that offer interoperability. OPAF's primary focus is adopting existing industry standards, but in the absence of existing standards, OPAF also collaborates with standards development organizations to create new ones. For example, the security requirements in O-PAS are derived from the ISA/IEC 62443 Series of Standards.

An open automation and control system environment offers many benefits, such as configurability, resilience, traceability, evolvability, and scalability. But security must be embedded into the design of all of these elements. Cybersecurity is an O-PAS imperative with a focus on "secure by design," which involves taking a proactive approach to cybersecurity by integrating security into systems from the design phase rather than including it as an afterthought or add-on later.

Fortinet and OPAF

Fortinet is a silver member of the Open Group and has engaged with several other members of the alliance to bring the secure-by-design approach to the O-PAS standard and its implementation. Fortinet has the breadth and depth to offer security controls for these technologies and help ensure that the technologies used in OPA are adequately secured using a secure-by-design approach. In addition to the Open Group, Fortinet works with standard bodies such as ENISA, ISA, NIST, and MITRE. Fortinet also collaborates with organizations like the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISGCA), ONGC-ISAC, and others for knowledge and information sharing.

The technology portfolio that Fortinet offers to meet the security requirements of OPA is the Fortinet OT Security Platform, which is an extension of the Fortinet Security Fabric. The Security Fabric is a broad, integrated, and automated platform powered by a single operating system, FortiOS. The OT Security Platform is made up of integrated OT security solutions that include secure networking, unified SASE, and security operations backed by security services to support the unique needs of oil and gas organizations. In addition, Fortinet AI-powered OT threat intelligence protects against the latest threats.

Discover more about the Fortinet OT Security Platform and O-PAS in ouron-demand webinar andlearn more about how Fortinet protects critical infrastructure and assets against cyberthreats with end-to-end integration.