Delta Building Automation Offers the Latest Cybersecurity Solutions

The fast-growing market of IoT devices and appliances cannot be neglected by building automation. New services can be implemented and new business models developed. While IoT offers intriguing new possibilities in building automation (BA), most devices today are affected by major security flaws. As leading BA solution providers, Delta Control and LOYTEC, are constantly improving this situation.

LOYTEC has presented an architecture to integrate IoT technology in their building automation system and mitigate a number of security concerns. The embedded JavaScript engine allows access to the building's data point list, exposing IoT data into standard BACnet OWS or BMS for instance.

The security features and IoT support are available on a range of different LOYTEC product models. The L-INX Automation Server offers a consistent and scalable controller platform for implementing projects using a PLC underlying different requirements. The L-GATE Gateways family is a good fit for protocol mappings, including the exposure of IoT devices into other building control systems such as BACnet. The L-VIS family is a set of low-power touch panel devices that are used to operate and visualize certain aspects in a room or building. These devices are able to directly integrate IoT technology on the touch panel. L-ROC and L-DALI controllers are tailored controller models for room control and lighting control. Which models fit best for a given project is determined by the specific needs.

LOYTEC offers secure services, such as HTTPS, SSH, OPC UA and certificates, which are typically used in building automation. To make security hardening easy for the system integrator, LOYTEC devices provide a secure mode feature. This feature can be enabled on each device by flipping a switch. Once enabled, the device activates a built-in firewall, which is pre-configured to block all non-secure protocols. Over one of the remaining secure channels, the L-INX Configurator can connect to the device and perform all necessary device configuration tasks. It is also possible to enable other specific and vital protocols using the Configurator. The Configurator connects to the device via secure Web services (HTTPS) through a single open port. The same port offers the Web interface of the device through HTTPS. The usage of HTTPS is widely accepted and encouraged by IT departments for security reasons. Every LOYTEC device comes with a pre-installed self-signed server certificate, which is sufficient for establishing an encrypted connection. In that mode, no clear-text messages are sent anymore and data cannot be tampered with.

Delta Controls, as the BACnet expert, has already tested the BACnet SC implementation and there are significant changes occurring. These changes will make it simpler and should have a high adoption rate. Delta Controls plans to have it ready to deploy inside product lines such as the eBUS control system, O3 series and eWEB software when the standard is released by the end of 2019.

The core products of Delta Controls, such as the eBUS control system and the DSC/DAC system controllers/application controllers, have been tested and approved for compliance security levels by GSA (General Services Administration), which is an independent agency of the United States government that helps manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. Products are now installed for use at a majority of US government sites

Adding all offerings together, the presented LOYTEC and Delta Controls solutions support building integrators in setting up a powerful, reliable and secure building automation system with concise control over IoT technology embedded in the engineering workflow.