AiVibeAir Gap
An air gap is the physical isolation of a computer or network from other networks, especially the internet and corporate IT, so that data can only cross by deliberate physical means such as removable media.
An air gap is a security measure in which a computer or network has no physical or wireless connection to other networks, particularly the internet or the corporate network, so data can only be moved by deliberate physical means such as removable media. In OT, air gaps have traditionally been used for safety systems, highly critical control networks and classified environments, where the consequences of remote compromise are unacceptable.
True air gaps are rarer than often assumed. Business needs for production data, remote vendor support, licence servers and software updates lead to connections that erode isolation, and undocumented links such as cellular modems or dual-homed laptops are often discovered during assessments. Stuxnet demonstrated that isolated networks can still be infected through removable media and contractors' equipment.
An air gap is therefore best treated as one layer of defence rather than a guarantee. Where isolation is required, it should be verified regularly, combined with strict controls on removable media and transient devices, and supported by monitoring inside the isolated network. Where data must leave a protected network, data diodes can provide one-way transfer while preserving most of the protection an air gap offers.
Key points
- No physical or wireless network connection to other networks
- Traditionally used for safety systems and highly critical control networks
- Business connectivity and hidden links often erode supposed air gaps
- Stuxnet showed isolated networks can be infected through removable media
Where AiVibe comes in
In AiVibe's AiAmbA AI Factory, the AiAmbA IoT edge layer keeps writes to machines deny-by-default and AI agents only propose changes that a trained operator confirms. AiVibe's security services include vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, and AiVibe is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified.