RemoteFactory and plant technology
Know a machine is failing before it stops the line.
Unplanned downtime, machines on the same network as office laptops, suppliers logging in remotely with a shared password. Most plant technology was connected without anyone owning it. We add monitoring to the machines that matter, separate the plant from the office, and look after it.
Built around the ACSC's six principles of OT cyber security.
- Warnings before breakdowns
- Plant off the office network
- Vendor access logged
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 31 October 2026.
What changes
Fewer surprises on the floor.
Done with your maintenance team, not around them.
Warnings before breakdowns
Sensors watch key machines and alert your team when a reading drifts.
- Vibration
- Temperature
- Pressure
Plant off the office network
Machines, controllers and sensors on their own network, away from office laptops.
- Separated
- Controlled
- Logged
A list of everything connected
Every connected device on site found and documented.
- Found
- Listed
- Owned
Safe vendor access
Suppliers get in only when needed, only to their own machine, and every session is logged.
- On request
- One machine
- Logged
Plant security check
Eight questions built on the ACSC's OT principles.
Tick what's true on your site today. The gaps show where we'd start.
Tick what's true for your site today. If you're not sure, leave it unticked: that's usually the answer.
Where you stand
0of 8 checks in place
8 gaps to close.
- Plant changes are signed off by someone who owns safetyPrinciple 1 in the ACSC guidance: safety is paramount.
- You know which machines would stop the businessPrinciple 2: knowledge of the business is crucial.
- There's a list of every connected device on siteYou can't protect a device you don't know is there.
- Plant is on its own networkPrinciple 4: segment and segregate OT from all other networks.
- Machine programs and settings are backed upPrinciple 3: OT data is extremely valuable and needs to be protected.
- Vendor remote access is controlled and loggedPrinciple 5: the supply chain must be secure.
- Floor staff know who to call when something looks wrongPrinciple 6: people are essential for OT cyber security.
- Key machines are monitoredA drifting reading is cheaper than a stopped line.
Why it matters
Safety comes first when plant is connected.
In October 2024 the ACSC published six principles for operational technology, co-sealed by agencies including CISA, the NSA and the UK's NCSC. We build plant networks around them.
- Safety is paramount
No change that could put people at risk, however good it looks for security.
- Knowledge of the business is crucial
Know which systems and processes the business can't run without.
- OT data is valuable
Programs, settings and drawings need protecting like anything else.
- Segment and segregate OT
Keep plant networks apart from everything else.
- The supply chain must be secure
Vendors and their remote access are part of your risk.
- People are essential
Staff who notice and report are part of the defence.
Principle names from ASD's ACSC, Principles of operational technology cyber security, 2 October 2024.
Mistakes we see
Four ways plant gets exposed.
- Flat networkThe office laptop can reach the PLC.
- Shared vendor loginAlways on, same password for years.
- No backup of machine programsUntil the controller fails.
- Changes without the floorIT changes plant settings without maintenance knowing.
What happens
Planned around your production.
- Step 1Walk the site
Critical equipment, what's connected and where the risks are.
- Step 2Plan
Sensors, network changes and remote access, priced before you commit.
- Step 3Install
Around your shifts, tested with your maintenance team.
- Step 4Look after it
Monitoring, updates and changes from then on.
Related
Plant is one network. Here's the rest.
Often done together.
Get help your way
Six ways to reach us. Pick whichever suits you.
Helpdesk hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. On Advantage and above, emergencies get a response within 1 hour and outages within 2, with 24/7 best-effort escalation.
- Call 07 3114 2808
An engineer answers Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. After hours, weekends and public holidays, Chip, our AI agent, answers on the same number or on 07 3180 0965, logs it and escalates urgent incidents to the on-call engineer.
Call now - Email the helpdesk
Send it to helpdesk@realbytes.com.au and a ticket is logged straight away, with a reference number you can quote.
Email us - Client portal
Log and follow your tickets, see what we are working on and who has it.
Open the portal - Remote support
When an engineer asks to see your screen, start a secure session here. You start it, so nobody sees your screen until you do.
Start a session - Chat in Microsoft Teams
Clients can message Chip, our AI assistant, in Teams to log a request without leaving their desk.
How clients reach us - Service status
Check whether Microsoft 365 or another cloud service is down before you lose an hour troubleshooting.
See live status
Questions
What plant managers ask.
Can you work with our older machines?
Usually, yes. Many older machines can be fitted with add-on sensors without touching their controls. Where a machine can't be changed, we protect it by isolating it on the network instead.
Will this interrupt production?
We plan installs around your shifts and shutdowns, and agree each change with your maintenance or operations lead before it happens.
Do you replace our automation integrator?
No. Your integrator still owns the machine programming. We handle the network, security, remote access and monitoring around it, and work alongside them.
What standards do you work to?
We follow the ACSC's principles of operational technology cyber security, and the AS IEC 62443 series where a site needs a formal standard.
Is OT guidance only for critical infrastructure?
No. The ACSC's OT principles were written with critical infrastructure in mind, but the page lists small and medium business in its audience. The ideas work at any size: safety first, know what matters, and keep plant separate.
Next step
Lost a shift to a machine failure lately?
Tell us about your site and we'll tell you where to start.
Keep reading
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 31 October 2026. OT principles from ASD's ACSC, checked on cyber.gov.au 31 October 2026. ASD's ACSC, Principles of operational technology cyber security (Oct 2024)