Managed Solution
The Fundamental Management Features Are Based On Already Implemented Uk Motorway Network Solutions. However, There Are Several Distinct Additions, Necessary To Ease The Remote Access Sessions Management And Further Security. A Dedicated Software Application Was Developed For This Purpose. In Addition, A Physically Controlled On/off Panel, Fitted With Key Switches, Was Constructed. These Are Used By The Control Room To Grant Or Deny Remote Access Permissions To Individual Remote Maintainers. In Order To Implement This, Intensive Research And Development Was Carried Out By It4a Engineers.
Segregated Remote Access
As Part Of The Requirement To Reduce Vulnerabilities And Potential Risks To The Critical Systems, Direct Interfacing Is Not Permitted. To Overcome This, Segregated Virtual Workstations Were Implemented For Each Remote Maintainer. Despite High Level Security Protection, When Remote Maintainers Are Granted Access Permission, They Can Perform Maintenance Jobs Equal To Physically Being At The Tunnel, Without The Safety-related Concerns. Through The Use Of Secure Remote Access Dongles, Individual For Each Remote Maintainer, The Desired Tunnel System Can Be Accessed At Any Time, Providing That An Internet Connection Exists. As Previously Mentioned, The Control Room Can Grant Exclusive Remote Access Permissions, Using Both The Remote Access Control Application And Panel. With Regards To The Latter, Limiting Access Has Been Achieved By Fitting Two Switches – The First Switch Enables Access To ‘management And Monitoring’, The Second Switch Provides Access To The ‘life Safety Systems’, Including Scada & Rpu.
Critical Network Infrastructure Protection
It4a Selected And Installed Multiple Network Security Appliances In Order To Restrict And Protect Communication, And Prevent Various Cyber-attacks. This Was Achieved Through The Implementation Of A Security Policy, As Per The Highways England, Cpni And Other Relevant Industry Standards. As Part Of The Incident Management Strategy And Quality Assurance, An Automated Activity Logging Feature Has Been Implemented. This Means, For Example, When Granting Remote Access For Repairing A Fault With The Rpu, Changes Made By The Corresponding Engineer Will Be Recorded, Allowing The Control Room To Review Any Performed Changes. The Solution Was Tested Both Off-site (Witnessed ‘factory Acceptance Testing’) And On-site (‘site Acceptance Testing’). These Checks Are To Ensure That All The Features Have Been Correctly Implemented. Including The Protection Against External Attacks, Successful Logging And Alerting, Segmentation And Unused Port Protection.
Outcome
To Determine The Appropriate Components That Fulfil The Functional Needs Of The Solution, It4a Engineers Prepared A Risk Assessment And Mitigation Plan Which Considered The Possible Threats And Risks, At Various Levels. This Means, For Example, To Mitigate Against The Risk Of Service Loss As A Result Of Air Conditioning Failure, Proven, Ruggedized, Components Were Selected. In Some Situations Suitable Products Were Not Available On The Market And Custom-built Elements Of The Solution, Such As The Physically Controlled On/off Panel, Were Engineered. To Consolidate The Solution And Offer The Necessary Versatility, It4a Used A Virtualization Platform. This Allowed Several Separate Virtual Workstations To Come Together Into One Piece Of Hardware.
Robust And Versatile Implementation
The Tunnel Now Boasts A Custom-built ‘secure, Managed And Segregated Remote Access System’, Designed, Developed And Installed By It4a. This Innovative Solution Aims To Decrease Tunnel Closures To Minutes Rather Than Hours And, Through A Significant Reduction In Travel Time, The Overall Maintenance Costs Are Reduced.
Thorough Documentation Has Been Provided To Support The Solution (Operation And Maintenance Manuals, Functional Design Specification, Risk Assessment And Treatment, Test Plans Etc.). All The Components Used In This Solution Have Been Marked As Property Of Highways England, Giving The Solution Longevity, Should Contractors Change In The Coming Years.
It4a Are Pleased With Their Contribution To The Tunnel’s Network Infrastructure And Look Forward To Using Their Expertise In This Field To Help Develop Other Transportation Operations.