More efforts needed to ensure cybersecurity of industrial internet, says expert

Cybersecurity is the top one challenge for industrial internet, which is entering the fast lane in China, and more efforts are needed to better solve the problem, said Qi Xiangdong, chairman of Chinese security company Qi-AnXin Technology Group Inc, on Friday.

Qi said the industrial internet helps companies boost efficiency in production and corporate management, but it also brings new cybersecurity challenges.

With the in-depth integration of 5G and industrial systems, there will be severe security challenges facing the industrial Internet. Traditionally, industrial enterprises have a relatively closed production environment. But with 5G plus industrial internet, such environment changes, which makes it more vulnerable to cyberattacks, Qi said at the China 5G + Industrial Internet Conference held in Wuhan, Hubei province.

The industrial internet, also known as the industrial internet of things, is a key sector for the country's new infrastructure construction. It refers to the broader adoption of advanced technologies such as next-generation wireless networks, big data, artificial intelligence and the internet of things.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the nation's top industry regulator, show that China has over 1,100 projects that focus on implementing the integration of 5G and industrial internet.

A wide range of applications have emerged such as using machine vision technologies to automatically inspect industrial products, or harnessing 5G to realize remote control, according to the ministry.