SSL/TLS-ENCRYPTION IN INTRALOGISTIC
A FOUNDATION OF DIGITAL SECURITY FOR YOUR COMPANY
The introduction of internal SSL or TLS encryption in an intralogistics environment – for example between warehouse management system (WMS), automated guided vehicle systems (AGVs), and other subsystems and devices – is an indispensable security component in modern, digitalized corporate networks.
The application of Transport Layer Security (TLS), the modern successor to SSL, to internal communication channels provides ctitical protection and addresses specific risks of networkes warehouse technology.
FUNDAMENTAL PROTECTION OF COMMUNICATIONS
TLS encryption establishes three core principles for internal data transmission:
- Protection against eavesdropping and manipulation (confidentiality)
- Authentication of communication participants
- Maintaining data integrity
With TLS, all data is encrypted end-to-end during transport. This prevents third parties from reading or tampering with sensitive information, even with unauthorized access to the internal network. In intralogistics, this primarily applies to control-relevant commands or inventory data that reflects warehouse contents and value. Encryption thus renders sniffing (interception of data traffic) ineffective.
ORGANIZATIONAL AND STRATEGIC BENEFITS
The TLS requirement in intralogistics is not just a technical issue, but also a strategic issue that protects us legally and organizationally.
- Compliance with compliance requirements (auditability)
- Future security and efficiency
- Central management and traceability
● Compliance is easier: Hardly any current industry standard – whether GDPR, TISAX or ISO 27001 – waives the requirement for secured data during transport. With a consistent TLS strategy, we meet these requirements directly. This makes audits much more relaxed.
● Future security and performance: It is best to go straight to the most modern version, TLS 1.3. This means we benefit from faster algorithms and mechanisms such as forward secrecy, which ensure that past sessions remain protected even if a long-term key is compromised at some point. In addition, 0-RTT accelerates connection establishment, which benefits our high-frequency communication.
● Central management: Certificates and keys can now be managed centrally, often via Hardware Security Module (HSM) solutions. This makes logging easier and gives us the necessary traceability for everything that happens on the network.
BOTTOM LINE:
Internal SSL / TLS encryption is not just a nice-to-have option, but rather the essential organizational and technical security for your company and intralogistics!
