Today we are proud to announce that Nozomi Networks has joined forces with an expert group of global cybersecurity leaders to launch the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Coalition. Nozomi Networks believes that when we put our customers’ best interest ahead of our own, success will follow. That’s why as a founding member of the coalition, we’ve teamed with many of our long-time partners and several of our fiercest competitors to work collaboratively with government and industry leaders to develop strong, effective cybersecurity solutions and guidelines for the end user. Our shared goal is to advocate for vendor-neutral, interoperable, cybersecurity and information sharing solutions that fortify the security of our nation’s most critical infrastructure.
Open Sharing for Threat Intelligence
Nozomi Networks believes that the only way to combat the growing number of threats against our critical infrastructure is to embrace competitive innovation and open information sharing, across industry and with the U.S. government. That includes cybersecurity options that never compromise privacy, and make it possible for public and private sectors organizations to strengthen trust and collective defense mechanisms. We also believe that vendor-specific sharing and closed solutions diminish the versatile nature of intelligence required to improve the cybersecurity posture of operators of critical infrastructure.
OT Cyber Coalition members are leveraging their combined centuries of experience in building, operating, protecting, and defending our nation’s industrial control systems and critical infrastructure to help accelerate public–private sector efforts. The Coalition is already collaborating with industry, CISA and other government stakeholders on how to best develop information-sharing solutions and guidelines. We are also collecting and sharing feedback with industry organizations in the sectors we seek to secure.
Helping Shape Cybersecurity Guidelines
For many years, industrial and critical infrastructure organizations have assessed the risks and need to mature cyber defenses, though progress has been difficult given the pace of disruptive and criminal activity of a growing list of cyber threat actors and nation states. Now with threats to critical infrastructure increasing at an alarming rate, the U.S. government is leading the charge to establish and enforce a baseline for cybersecurity tools and guidelines used across critical infrastructure.
When it comes to CISA’s role in providing cybersecurity guidelines for our critical infrastructure, open public/private sector collaboration is critical to success. The coalition makes that collaboration easier. In addition to promoting the adoption of interoperable, vendor-neutral cybersecurity solutions, the OT Cyber Coalition combines broad industry expertise and will provide feedback on public policy and funding proposals, the OT threat landscape, and sector–specific best practices.
Better Security Together
Progress requires a collective defense that embraces the strengths of many. Successful information and intelligence sharing will not come from a single source, but will draw from the unique insights of industry as a whole. The OT Cyber Coalition is one of many first steps. We will continue to work together to implement effective solutions that strengthen our situational awareness and capacity to defend. Success requires transparency and teamwork. From the executive branch to the plant engineers, to the technology vendors they rely on, coming together to solve problems is the only way forward.
