64434Secure remote access for digital automation systemsClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKAdvanced digital automation systems can provide well documented benefits to industrial manufacturers in terms of increased productivity, improved resource use efficiency and lower environmental emissions. In order to sustain these benefits the automation systems require support and maintenance. Typically, this support relies on physical access to the systems, often provided by experienced engineers who need to travel to the industrial site. Remote access has the potential to increase significantly the productivity of support engineers and as a result enhance the performance of the manufacturing sites. By eliminating the need for travel to remote locations, support companies and multi-national operators with centralised engineering groups can reduce their environmental impact, increase productivity and effectiveness and increase employee inclusivity. This benefit is amplified significantly by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, providing remote access to industrial control systems brings associated risk compared with a physically isolated control system domain. This project will generate a reference architecture for secure remote access. It will then subject this architecture to a detailed and rigorous risk assessment. The goal is to provide an appropriate reference design for the operators of manufacturing processes to properly configure their systems architectures and procedures as well as guidance on how to assess and mitigate the risk associated with their own installations.