Industrial security solution attracts attention

In the June Software newsletter, I wrote about Verano ’s Industrial Defender Solution Suite. Click here to read the article.

Since then, two major industry players—Invensys, an industrial automation software provider, and Enbridge, one of Canada’s largest energy transporters—are employing Verano’s Industrial Defender Watch product, a module in Verano’s Industrial Defender Solution Suite.

Verano’s Industrial Defender Watch is designed to consolidate the monitoring and detection of potential security breaches to the control network, including control system applications, servers, firewalls, as well as other security devices.

Invensys has entered into an agreement with Verano to jointly market Industrial Defender Watch. Enbridge has selected Watch for real-time monitoring of its pipeline infrastructure security and system performance.

Invensys’ agreement with Verano states that Invensys will resell, implement, and support Industrial Defender Watch, as part of a comprehensive industrial security solution for I/A Series system users.

Enbridge, which operates in the U.S. and Canada, runs the world’s longest crude oil and liquids pipeline system. Using Watch, Enbridge says it can facilitate the prevention of dangerous and costly pipeline disasters caused by faults in system components or by cyber terrorists.

Watch is installed at the Enbridge Operations Control Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, where the company operates numerous pipelines, including Enbridge’s gas distribution system and the Vector natural gas pipeline. Watch has been integrated with the Enbridge supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to ensure safe and efficient operation of its pipelines. This integration allows personnel to observe operation system integrity in real-time from a dashboard located within the confines of Enbridge’s control room.

“Verano’s Industrial Defender Watch gives us a consolidated view of all potential cyber-security threats as well as performance monitoring metrics—a differentiating element over other monitoring solutions,” says Scott Clarke, supervisor, SCADA Services at Enbridge. “Within hours of installation, Industrial Defender Watch was deployed and monitoring performance metrics with the help of Verano’s professional service engineers.”

According to Verano, mission-critical industries, including power generation, energy distribution, water treatment, process control, waste handling, and mass transit systems, have not—until the introduction of the Industrial Defender Solution Suite—had the option of using a comprehensive industrial control system security monitoring and control solution. Of course, some organizations have deployed commercially available off-the-shelf enterprise security solutions as a first line of defense. Verano’s approach is to offer a comprehensive solution including a variety of isolation technologies combined with monitoring and notification systems.

“Verano’s Industrial Defender Watch is unique in that it offers the only available real-time security monitoring technology specifically designed for mission-critical industrial control systems,” says John Eva, vice president/general manager customer service and support at Invensys Process Systems.

—David Greenfield, Editorial Director, Control Engineering, dgreenfield@reedbusiness.com

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