Review: Hands-On Industrial Internet of Things
Hands-On Industrial Internet of Things is a practical guide designed specifically for professionals building and securing industrial IoT (IIoT) systems.
About the authors
Giacomo Veneri brings deep expertise in telecommunications and AI, shaped by over 25 years in IoT and AI applications within industrial environments. As Director of AI Specialists at Baker Hughes, he spearheads machine learning innovations that bridge cutting-edge research with practical, real-world solutions.
Antonio Capasso offers extensive experience managing large-scale IT projects across diverse industrial sectors, including automotive, pharma, food & beverage, and oil & gas. With roles ranging from programmer to team leader, Capasso’s two decades in technology have honed his capability to architect robust and secure Industrial IoT infrastructures.
Inside the book
The book introduces readers to the fundamentals of IIoT, clearly distinguishing it from consumer-focused IoT. Security professionals will particularly appreciate the authors’ detailed exploration of industrial-specific cybersecurity challenges. The authors address critical issues such as firewall architectures, network segregation, DMZ implementations, and VLAN configurations, all crucial components for protecting IIoT infrastructure.
The authors methodically break down the complexities of securing the IIoT data flow, from edge devices at the factory floor to cloud services. They explain how to securely manage data at various points within a plant. They include practical scenarios involving edge deployments with platforms like AWS IoT Edge and Azure IoT Edge.
A notable strength of the book is its hands-on approach. Each technical concept is reinforced with real-world exercises, ensuring readers can directly apply these lessons. For instance, they authors provide exercises based on OPC UA standards and Node-RED, enabling practitioners to familiarize themselves with securing critical communication protocols. This practical guidance ensures that security teams are not only aware of theoretical threats but also proficient in handling them through proven, applied methods.
Capasso and Veneri extend their practical guidance into building secure custom IIoT platforms. They highlight open-source technologies such as Docker, InfluxDB, Neo4J, Apache Airflow, and Mosquitto, each chosen specifically for their robustness in secure IIoT implementations. Security professionals concerned about supply-chain attacks and open-source vulnerabilities will find the authors’ selection criteria and security considerations useful.
Cloud-based IIoT solutions receive extensive attention as well, recognizing the importance of securing data in cloud environments. The authors cover essential areas like secure data flow setups, analytics, and visualizations using secure, industry-standard tools such as Azure Cosmos DB, Grafana, and Azure Synapse.
The book also tackles advanced IIoT topics, including predictive analytics and the implementation of digital twins. Security implications for these sophisticated data models are considered in depth.
Who is it for?
Hands-On Industrial Internet of Things ultimately succeeds as a comprehensive, practically oriented resource. Security professionals will find this book valuable, not only for its detailed technical coverage but also for its practical exercises and actionable security guidance.