netFIELD Cloud 4.1 Strengthens Cybersecurity, Data Sovereignty, and Fleet Management of Linux-based Industrial Controllers

Hattersheim, 19 May 2026 – Hilscher has released netFIELD Cloud 4.1, the latest version of its Industrial IoT (IIoT) device management and IT/OT integration platform. The update focuses on three key requirements currently shaping industrial automation: cybersecurity, sovereign infrastructure operation, and centralized management of heterogeneous machine fleets.

With netFIELD Cloud 4.1, Hilscher expands remote management capabilities beyond edge gateways to Linux-based PLCs and industrial PCs (IPCs). At the same time, the platform introduces enhanced security mechanisms such as mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) and centralized log collection. In addition, the new netFIELD Private Cloud deployment option enables customers to operate the platform entirely on their own infrastructure or in the cloud environment of their choice, such as STACKIT Cloud by Schwarz Digits or Microsoft Azure.

The release addresses increasing market demands resulting from the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the NIS-2 Directive, and stricter requirements for secure and sovereign operation of industrial infrastructures.

Cybersecurity by design for CRA and NIS-2 requirements

Cybersecurity is a central focus of netFIELD Cloud 4.1. Hilscher designed the new release specifically to support customers preparing for regulatory frameworks such as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and NIS-2.
Mandatory two-factor authentication is now enforced for all user accounts without optional bypass mechanisms. Standard authenticator applications are supported. This removes single-factor login vulnerabilities and strengthens access protection for connected machine fleets.

The platform also introduces centralized log collection for all managed edge devices. Machine logs are aggregated in netFIELD Cloud and remain searchable even if devices temporarily go offline. Service teams gain direct access to diagnostic information remotely without requiring physical access to machines.

This significantly accelerates root-cause analysis after outages, reduces travel requirements for service technicians, and supports auditable cybersecurity processes required under modern compliance frameworks.

Full data sovereignty with netFIELD Private Cloud

One of the most strategic additions in version 4.1 is the introduction of netFIELD Private Cloud. The software can now run completely on customer-owned infrastructure, in private cloud environments, or with the cloud provider of the customer’s choice.

This gives industrial companies full sovereignty over machine data, user management, and security concepts. The deployment model is particularly relevant for industries with strict compliance requirements or policies excluding hyperscaler-based cloud infrastructures.

The private deployment model also allows remote service functionalities to operate entirely through customer-owned infrastructure without relying on external proxy services or VPN complexity.

For customers in critical sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, or defense, this creates a future-ready basis for secure and compliant remote access architectures.