Touchpoint is pleased to announce a new vendor partnership with IHSE, a globally respected manufacturer of high-assurance KVM switching and extension systems. This partnership strengthens Touchpoint’s ability to design and deliver secure, compliant control room architectures across Australia and the broader region.
IHSE is a highly selective vendor, choosing partners with proven technical depth and trusted standing in critical environments. Their decision to work with Touchpoint reflects our long history in the defence industry and our track record of delivering secure architectures into some of Australia’s most sensitive operational environments.
German-owned and German-manufactured, IHSE is recognised worldwide for engineering longevity, precision, and an uncompromising approach to security. Together, Touchpoint and IHSE are addressing one of the most persistent – and often under-appreciated – risks in modern control rooms: the human layer.
The Core Challenges for Control Rooms
Control rooms – whether in defence facilities, air traffic management, transport network operations, or airport security – share a common architectural tension. Operators need to work efficiently across multiple networks of varying sensitivity. Yet the very connections that enable this efficiency are also where adversaries, insider risk, and accidental data leakage most often occur.
Most control rooms are not designed holistically from day one. They evolve. New systems are added. Contractors require temporary access. External feeds are ingested. Over time, operators are surrounded by multiple workstations, USB devices, ad-hoc switches, and ungoverned data paths.
These environments are operationally powerful, but often fragile from a security perspective. The operator desk becomes the convergence point – and the weakest link – where classified, safety-critical, and enterprise systems sit within arm’s reach of each other.
What IHSE Brings
IHSE designs and manufactures high-assurance KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switching and extension systems purpose-built for secure and mission-critical environments.
Their technology allows a single operator workstation to securely access multiple computers and networks without those networks ever touching each other. In defence and high-security environments, IHSE systems enable:
- Hardware-enforced network separation at the operator desk
- Secure switching between red/black and cross-domain environments
- Distributed control room architectures, where compute remains locked in a secure data centre or server room.
- Full auditability of who accesses which system, and when
Critically, IHSE addresses both the physical and logical separation problem at the human layer, where traditional network security controls often stop. By removing workstations from the desktop and centralising compute, organisations eliminate local data storage, removable media usage, and unmanaged endpoints. No data resides at the desk. Nothing can be copied locally.
The result is a material reduction in insider risk, accidental data leakage, and supply-chain-delivered malware – while significantly improving overall cyber security posture.
Application Across Sectors for Secure Control Room Architectures
Defence & Government
ADF and DISP environments routinely require cross-domain operations across networks of differing classification levels. These environments include secure operation centres, intelligence fusion facilities, and joint capability spaces.
IHSE-based architectures directly support compliance with:
- The ISM
- DSPF requirements
- ASD Essential Eight
By enforcing separation in hardware rather than relying on operator behaviour or software controls alone, organisations gain assurance that classified networks remain isolated – even under fault or compromised conditions.
Aviation & Airports
Airservices Australia and major airport operators operate at the intersection of safety‑critical systems and enterprise IT. This includes air traffic management platforms, airline networks, Border Force data, and third‑party service providers — each carrying a different trust level.
A single compromised file introduced at any point can propagate into safety‑critical infrastructure. IHSE enables operators to work across these environments efficiently, without creating hidden bridging paths between networks.
Rail & Transport
Operators such as ARTC, Sydney Trains, and state transport management centres depend on operational technology that must remain isolated, while still requiring visibility, integration, and contractor access. In these environments, auditability is not optional — it is a regulatory requirement. IHSE architectures ensure every access event is logged and attributable, while preserving strict separation between OT (operational technology) systems and enterprise or vendor networks.
Energy & Utilities
AEMO‑connected (Australian Energy Market Operator) control rooms, water utilities, and pipeline operators are increasingly targeted and now operate under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act.
IHSE‑enabled designs directly address:
- Supply‑chain‑delivered malware
- Contractor and third‑party access risk
- Compliance with IEC 62443 across OT environments
By centralising compute and extending only video and control signals, organisations significantly reduce attack surface and operational risk.
Emergency Services & Public Safety
State emergency control centres and CAD environments aggregate data from body‑worn cameras, ANPR (Automatic Number-Plate Recognition) systems, third‑party databases, and public or semi‑trusted networks. In many existing deployments, the ingestion and presentation of this data collapses security boundaries behind the scenes.
IHSE provides a secure mechanism to present a unified operational picture — without compromising underlying network separation.
A Trusted Partnership
IHSE’s decision to partner with Touchpoint as an authorised reseller reflects a shared focus on high-assurance outcomes, not commodity solutions. Together, we are enabling organisations to modernise control rooms without compromising security, compliance, or operational effectiveness.
This partnership reinforces Touchpoint’s commitment to architecturally sound, future-ready solutions for Australia’s most critical environments – from defence and aviation to transport, utilities, and public safety.
If you would like to explore how IHSE can strengthen your control room security posture, Touchpoint welcomes the conversation. Contact us today to speak with a specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a high-assurance KVM system?
A high-assurance KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) system uses hardware-enforced controls to allow operators to access multiple computers or networks without allowing data to pass between them.
Why is the operator desk a security risk in control room?
The operator desk is where multiple networks converge. Without enforced separation, it becomes a common point for accidental leakage, insider risk, and malware propagation.
How does IHSE support defence and DISP compliance?
IHSE enforces network separation in hardware, supporting ISM, DSPF and Essential Eight requirements without relying solely on software controls or operator behaviour.
Can IHSE be used outside defence environments?
Yes. IHSE is widely used in aviation, transport, energy, utilities, and emergency services where safety-critical and enterprise systems must remain isolated.