In its recent launch, US-based vendor Celona introduced a ground-breaking integrated zero-trust framework aimed at resolving the security challenges of private 5G networks in industrial IT and OT systems. This framework, titled Aerloc, is embedded into Celona’s enterprise 5G LAN architecture, allowing enterprises to utilize the same network while ensuring the separation and security of IT and OT traffic. Founder and CEO Rajeev Shah highlighted that while private 5G has the potential to surpass Wi-Fi in reliability, it brings with it an array of security issues. To combat these, Aerloc employs SIM-based authentication in combination with a zero-trust environment, effectively identifying, distinguishing, and maintaining policies for a variety of devices and machines.
Aerloc also integrates with security products from companies such as Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler, using open APIs to ensure seamless integration across firewalls, NAC systems, and SD-WAN solutions. This setup supports both cloud and on-premise configurations. A key feature of Aerloc is the slicing technology that offers an air gap for physical and logical segmentation between IT and OT traffic, ensuring that security and performance are not compromised. This segregation is crucial for customers who want to prevent cross-contamination between their IT and OT environments. Additionally, Aerloc incorporates dynamic and distributed policy enforcement along with posture assessment tools and IoT security technologies. This approach provides local security enforcement from individual devices to the network’s edge, thereby reducing potential attack surfaces.
The Role of Aerloc in Modern Cybersecurity
Celona, a US-based vendor, has recently unveiled an innovative zero-trust framework named Aerloc, designed to tackle the security issues inherent in private 5G networks, particularly within industrial IT and OT systems. Integrated into Celona’s enterprise 5G LAN architecture, Aerloc enables enterprises to utilize a single network while maintaining separation and security for both IT and OT traffic. According to Celona’s founder and CEO, Rajeev Shah, private 5G offers greater reliability than Wi-Fi but introduces various security challenges. Aerloc addresses these with a combination of SIM-based authentication and a zero-trust environment, effectively identifying and managing policies for multiple devices and machines.
Aerloc seamlessly integrates with security products from companies like Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler, facilitated by open APIs that ensure compatibility across firewalls, NAC systems, and SD-WAN solutions. It supports both cloud and on-premise configurations. A standout feature is its slicing technology, which provides an air gap for physical and logical segregation between IT and OT traffic, vital for preventing cross-contamination. Additionally, Aerloc incorporates dynamic, distributed policy enforcement, posture assessment tools, and IoT security technologies. This comprehensive approach extends security from individual devices to the network edge, reducing potential attack surfaces.
