
Finding a cyber security solution for the manufacturing industry
May 31, 2022

With the support of a FedDev Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI) grant and access to a cutting-edge facility at the Sheridan Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies (CAMDT), professor Johnston worked collaboratively with Simplified Automation Inc. to successfully identify and address gaps in the security controls of their web application login and password resets. Simplified Automation Inc. is a company which employs cloud-based software for the manufacturing industry.
With the help of two student researchers in FAST, Professor Johnston assessed the company’s current login flow and process. He recommended introducing industry-standard security controls for commercial web applications that account for certain restrictions and limitations in their environment, respecting employee privacy and promoting data security. For example, shop floor manufacturing employees would not have company email addresses, which often act as a security credential for login access. To support this, the research team introduced multi-factor authentication (MFA) for login access along with enabling secure password and other MFA credential resets.

The proposed security workflows and test solution has since been implemented into Simplified Automation’s production environment.
For more information on professor Johnston’s work in cyber security, please read his recent Sheridan Take 5.
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