DART AND YOUR CYBERSECURITY: SAFE & SECURE

What do Fort Knox and DART have in common? They're both secure. That's why blue chip companies and national suppliers trust the DART ABB drive monitoring system.

We understand that companies have to comply you both the standards required by their information and operational technology departments. That's why DART was created to seamlessly integrate into your system.

DART connects non-intrusively to provide real-time monitoring of up to 25 drive parameters, plus environmental data, with cloud-based dashboards and alerts. It implements several practical cybersecurity measures tailored for industrial environments (especially utilities and critical infrastructure) following key industrial best practices for secure remote monitoring.

Here's how DART addresses your cybersecurity concerns:

•    Customers can fully bypass SIM-based connections and integrate the device via Ethernet directly into their existing firewall-protected corporate networks. This gives IT/OT teams complete control over data routing and ensures alignment with internal cybersecurity policies. 

•    End-to-end encryption: All data transmitted between the DART device and the cloud is encrypted, preventing interception or unauthorized access during transit. 
•    Secure cloud storage and processing: Data is stored and handled on the Microsoft Azure platform, which provides enterprise-grade security, compliance, and reliability for industrial IoT applications. 
•    Flexible, customer-controlled network integration: 
•    Default option uses a SIM card for out-of-the-box remote connectivity.
•    Access controls and authentication: DART supports user authentication and role-based access controls (RBAC) so that drive data, alarms, and analytics are only accessible to authorized personnel. 
•    Secure drive communication: Uses Modbus RTU to interface with ABB VSDs, maintaining data integrity without opening unnecessary ports or exposing the drive to direct internet access. 
•    Proactive anomaly detection: Configurable email/SMS alerts for faults or unusual readings help detect potential issues (including security-related anomalies) quickly, enabling faster response. 

These features are especially valued by large UK utilities that use DART, as they require strict data transmission security and authorized-only access. ABB provides its own official cybersecurity guidance for variable speed drives (e.g., the "Cybersecurity for ABB drives Technical guide"), which covers topics like secure boot, encrypted communication, patch management, and IEC 62443 alignment. DART is designed to complement these by adding remote monitoring without compromising the drive's built-in protections. 

In short, DART complies with cybersecurity expectations through layered, defense-in-depth measures focused on encryption, controlled connectivity, and access restriction—making it suitable for secure, real-time ABB drive monitoring in industrial settings.

See more on our DART 'Cyber sentinel of your plant' blog post.