Mission Secure announces availability of its ransomware defense offering for OT environments

October 02, 2023

Mission Secure partners with Idaho National Laboratory to secure critical infrastructure

OT cybersecurity company Mission Secure announced the availability of its new ransomware defense solution for operational technology (OT) and industrial control system (ICS) networks. Designed for rapid implementation and rapid risk reduction, the solution provides a toolset that organizations can use to close security gaps and prevent the spread of malicious code within industrial environments.

Ransomware attacks have caused many high-profile critical infrastructure disruptions across sectors including oil and gas, manufacturing, and food and beverage production. Shutdowns at Dole, JBS Foods, Colonial Pipeline, aluminum maker Norsk Hydro, and the U.K.’s Royal Mail delivery services are among the more notable attacks in recent years, though many attacks still go unreported.

Mission Secure’s OT ransomware defense solution is a purpose-built hardware and software solution that identifies entry points commonly used by ransomware groups, detects network activity that indicates a potential ransomware attack, and blocks the movements that ransomware attackers typically rely on to propagate their malware within an industrial environment.

“Ransomware is the number one cyber threat facing critical infrastructure operators,” Jens Meggers, Mission Secure’s executive chairman, said in a media statement last month. “We believe it is essential to arm industrial asset owners with tools that are stronger and smarter than the tools being used to attack them.”

The OT ransomware defense solution defines current risk by identifying assets, network connections, misconfigurations, and potential vulnerabilities. It understands the security posture of every asset in your OT environment; identifies unsafe protocols, unnecessary connections, and unauthorized devices; and takes guided action to patch systems, fix configurations, and close security gaps.

It identifies network segmentation as one of the ‘most effective defenses’ against ransomware attacks, making it harder for malware to spread and limiting threat actors’ ability to operate.

The OT ransomware defense offering stops ransomware from entering OT environment, even if IT systems are compromised; limits the spread of malicious code between devices; and improves response and recovery times in the event of a compromise.

Mission Secure also announced the availability of its new OT Cyber Risk Diagnostic Kit, a plug-and-play solution that organizations can use to identify and analyze the most critical risks facing their operational technology environments. The kit provides a purpose-built set of diagnostic tools and reports to help end users and security service providers to find and remediate security gaps that might otherwise provide entry points for disruptive ransomware attacks.

In August, Mission Secure partnered with Idaho National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory. The alliance will expand the adoption of the consequence-driven, cyber-informed engineering (CCE) methodology to protect critical infrastructure against cyber threats.