Amid growing digital complexity, protecting sensitive information is more than a technical concern—it’s a core business imperative. Organizations require a robust, secure-by-design solution that addresses growing cybersecurity threats while maintaining seamless access to critical data for authorized users. This solution should also enable the adoption of modern technologies, including cloud platforms, remote access, and web-based applications.
NI SystemLink™ software is designed to unify management, automation, and data orchestration for test and measurement systems. At the heart of its architecture lies a robust security framework—one that not only protects sensitive data and enforces granular access control but also ensures the integrity of test results and supports compliance with industry regulations. Whether you are overseeing a small lab or orchestrating a global network of systems, understanding SystemLink’s security capabilities is essential to protecting your assets and maintaining operational resilience.
Data is one of an organization’s most valuable assets. An organization’s secrets to success (and weaknesses) can be found within its data sets and information systems. However, in their efforts to protect data and systems, organizations may miss opportunities to adopt new technology solutions that promote progress and innovation.
Achieving a perfectly secure system is a moving target, as the threat landscape is complex and evolving rapidly. Security threats range from malicious threat actors and corporate espionage to human errors that can cause data leaks or misconfigurations. To mitigate risks and harness modern solutions, a multilayered, proactive security strategy is vital.
Let’s look at how SystemLink enables organizations to drive progress and innovation with confidence, knowing their data and systems are protected by comprehensive security methodologies.
SystemLink’s architecture stands apart with its vigilant and proactive defense mechanisms. It empowers organizations to embrace modern technology without compromising on data security or system integrity.
This robust security framework is a key differentiator in the marketplace, validated by rigorous third-party penetration testing. As a part of the secure development lifecycle, routine pen tests assess the security of SystemLink’s applications and APIs, providing additional assurance that a threat actor cannot access and exfiltrate sensitive test systems and data.
SystemLink’s deliberate defenses are built upon guiding principles and proven security methodologies: secure by design, zero-trust architecture, access control, and supply chain security.
Security within SystemLink is embedded from the ground up. The SystemLink development team follows a secure development lifecycle (SDL) rooted in security best practices by Microsoft, NIST, and OWASP. By “shifting security left,” meaning as early as possible in the design cycle, SystemLink ensures that security is intrinsic to every feature.
Security is not a feature—it’s a foundational requirement. In an always-on, connected world where technology connects everything, the consequences of a breach extend far beyond technical disruption; they impact trust, compliance, and business continuity. For organizations managing test data, configuration files, and intellectual property, the risks are especially acute. These assets represent years of innovation and are critical to product integrity and competitive advantage.
Just as emergency exits are engineered into building blueprints and pressure relief valves are integral to boiler systems, security must be designed into software from the very beginning. This approach ensures reliability and resilience in the face of evolving threats—protecting sensitive data not only at rest, but also in motion and during collaboration across teams, systems, and geographies.
Every new feature has the potential to be a vector for attack. Regardless of how minor the feature may appear, every step of the secure development lifecycle is followed rigorously.
Industry-leading software security practices and continuous monitoring processes throughout the development lifecycle provide SystemLink customers with confidence that their systems and proprietary data are secure.
Many organizations depend on perimeter-based security as their main defense mechanism. Firewalls or air-gapped networks prevent unauthorized access by assuming that anything within the network boundary is inherently “trusted.” Historically, this approach has offered a clear method for keeping external threats at bay and minimizing the attack surface.
In contrast, zero trust assumes no user or device is inherently trustworthy. Instead of relying on passive isolation and static defenses, zero trust is a dynamic approach that requires every request for access to be authenticated, authorized, and verified—even if it originates from inside the network.
The 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report revealed that 68 percent of breaches involved a nonmalicious human element, such as careless or negligent employees making errors or falling for social engineering (phishing) attacks. This statistic highlights that significant threats exist within the network.
Meanwhile, sophisticated attackers possess the tools and expertise to infiltrate the most well-fortified perimeters. Static defenses are no match for professional hackers who can disguise themselves as legitimate users or exploit vulnerabilities in the security infrastructure.
Besides providing inadequate protection, relying on a perimeter-based strategy can also stifle innovation, increase costs, and lengthen time to market. While attempting to “hide” data from the outside world, network isolation prevents organizations from embracing modern workflows and leveraging technologies, such as cloud solutions, web applications, and remote access.
SystemLink implements zero-trust architecture to provide comprehensive and proactive defenses. Robust identity management, encrypted communication, and contextual security controls ensure that only authorized entities can access applications and data.
Vigilant and intentional authentication eliminates vulnerabilities associated with outdated security models and enables organizations to securely harness modern tools and technologies.
Access control complements zero-trust architecture by authorizing what users, devices, and applications can see and do once inside a system. Together, zero-trust and access controls create a layered and robust defense.
Access control is more than granting users read/write permissions; it protects organizations from malicious actors and unintended errors by separating duties and restricting unauthorized users from accessing information.
As automation becomes a more integral part of test and production environments, the access of applications to information is also a critical consideration. If left unchecked, devices and applications can become a “back door” for attackers, putting confidential product performance data and proprietary trade secrets at risk.
At the same time, completely locking down data isn’t the answer either. Identifying connections and relationships across data sets can unlock valuable insights to drive efficiency, quality, and innovation. Businesses need to strike a balance between restrictive access, which can impede productivity, and open access, which increases risk.
SystemLink employs a modern identity and access management (IAM) framework that aligns with the principle of least privilege (PoLP). PoLP ensures users, devices, and applications have only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their intended function, subsequently reducing exposure and risk because fewer users have access to high-value data.
SystemLink’s flexible, granular approach enables organizations to protect sensitive information while fostering collaboration and innovation.
Increasing complexity and demands mean modern systems and software rely on open-source libraries, third-party frameworks, and development tools. By leveraging existing industry standards and proven solutions, developers can focus on the unique aspects of their applications.
Supply chain security focuses on safeguarding software from risks originating from third-party dependencies and tools, ensuring all components are secure, trustworthy, and free from vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit.
While third-party components and tools offer immense value, they can also introduce risk. A single vulnerable component can open the door to exploits. In fact, attackers often target shared or commonly used dependencies to compromise many systems at once.
According to Gartner, by the end of 2025, 45 percent of organizations will have experienced attacks targeting their software supply chains with associated costs of up to $46 billion. Juniper further estimates the financial impact of these attacks will exceed $80.6 billion by 2026—a sharp increase compared to previous years.
This surge underscores the urgent need for proactive, continuous supply chain security. Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they are exploited is essential to minimizing risk. In addition, implementing strong security controls and mechanisms is critical not only for protecting assets but also for ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory and industry standards.
Supply chain security is integrated into SystemLink’s secure development lifecycle to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of applications.
SystemLink ensures the integrity and security of its applications by proactively managing supply chain security during development and continuously monitoring vulnerabilities with well-established processes throughout the software lifecycle.
Industries like healthcare, aerospace, defense, and automotive face strict regulatory standards, which are continuously evolving with the threat landscape. SystemLink’s integrated security features are ideal for regulated environments and support an organization’s compliance efforts in several ways:
As data security requirements shift, SystemLink’s adaptive security architecture helps future-proof compliance efforts without slowing down innovation.
SystemLink empowers organizations to harness data for efficiency, quality, and innovation while safeguarding their most sensitive information. Built with a security-first mindset, threats are identified and mitigated before the first line of code is written because security isn’t an afterthought–it is engineered into every layer. With SystemLink’s uncompromising security, customers can drive progress and innovate with confidence.