Mission Secure, a leading cybersecurity company, has recently announced its partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory. The objective of this collaboration is to expand the adoption of the Consequence-Driven, Cyber-Informed Engineering (CCE) methodology in order to protect critical infrastructure against cyber threats.
Dr. Jens Meggers, the Executive Chairman of Mission Secure, expressed his excitement about being at the forefront of the transformation that CCE will bring to industrial cybersecurity in the next decade. He believes that the CCE methodology perfectly complements Mission Secure’s approach of preventing high-consequence cyber events.
The CCE methodology, developed by INL, aims to minimize the risk of potentially catastrophic cyber attacks on critical infrastructure systems. It focuses on designing systems that eliminate opportunities for adversaries to cause real-world damage to assets such as the power grid, oil and gas facilities, water systems, transportation systems, and other critical infrastructure. By adopting a “think like the adversary” approach, organizations can reduce or eliminate the consequences of a cyber attack, even if adversaries gain access to critical systems.
As part of their partnership, Mission Secure will apply the CCE methodology to help customers identify critical cyber risks and implement engineering changes and cybersecurity controls to mitigate those risks. This methodology can be applied to both existing facilities and greenfield facilities that are still in the design phase.
Zach Tudor, the INL National and Homeland Security Associate Lab Director, acknowledges the power of consequence-driven, cyber-informed engineering in reducing risks to critical infrastructure. He expressed excitement about partnering with Mission Secure to bring this methodology to more organizations.
Mission Secure will leverage the CCE methodology to support critical infrastructure operators in various ways. This includes conducting cyber risk assessments, developing secure operational technology (OT) network designs, and optimizing deployments of the company’s process-aware OT cybersecurity platform.
Ed Suhler, the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Mission Secure, emphasized the ever-changing nature of the OT cyber threat landscape. He believes that the partnership with Idaho National Laboratory will keep Mission Secure ahead of the curve and enhance the resilience of their customers against unpredictable threats.
Mission Secure specializes in providing cybersecurity solutions for operational technology and industrial control systems. Their expertise enables customers in industries such as manufacturing, maritime, oil and gas to gain visibility and control over their critical assets. With unparalleled threat detection and policy enforcement capabilities, Mission Secure enables the implementation of effective Zero Trust architectures.
Idaho National Laboratory is a national laboratory under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that focuses on various strategic areas, including energy, national security, science, and the environment. It serves as the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development. Battelle Energy Alliance is responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the laboratory.
The collaboration between Mission Secure and Idaho National Laboratory is expected to pave the way for improved cybersecurity measures for critical infrastructure. By leveraging the CCE methodology, organizations can better protect their assets and mitigate the risks posed by cyber threats. With the ever-evolving nature of the OT cyber threat landscape, this partnership aims to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure in the face of unpredictable challenges.