Industrial Defender and RuggedCom join forces

Leading communications equipment provider and leading cyber risk protection provider deliver integrated cyber security solution technology for global critical infrastructure industries

Industrial Defender, the global leader in Cyber Risk Protection, and RuggedCom, a leading provider of rugged communications networking solutions designed for mission-critical applications in harsh environments, today announced they will jointly develop, market, and co-brand the industry's most comprehensive cyber security solution for critical infrastructure industries including power, oil and gas, transportation, water and chemical sectors.

In particular, with North American electric utility customers facing mandatory NERC-CIP compliance by mid-2008, (which are now enforceable due to the recent January 17th FERC approval of the NERC-CIP standards) combined technology solutions from Industrial Defender and RuggedCom provide the unique benefit of delivering an integrated solution for compliance, since bulk electricity asset owners were previously forced to deploy single-purpose, non-integrated solutions from multiple vendors.

RuggedCom offers industry-leading rugged communications networking infrastructure products for environments requiring hardened specifications including the electrical substation environment, as well as RuggedCom Gauntlet, a user authentication solution for the electric power market that provides secure access to critical cyber assets.

As part of this new strategic partnership and technology integration, RuggedCom will benefit by tapping into the comprehensive Industrial Defender Defense in Depth approach to cyber security, which includes network security professional services, cyber security technology and managed security services.

In addition, Industrial Defender can now extend its process control/SCADA network cyber security monitoring and management capabilities into harsh network environments.

"Working with RuggedCom provides customers with a completely integrated and easier roadmap to NERC-CIP compliance for their critical cyber assets," said Brian M Ahern, president and CEO of Industrial Defender: "Joining forces with the global leader in hardened network infrastructure products extends Industrial Defender Defense-in-Depth technology offering through the seamless integration, monitoring and management of RuggedCom devices within the Industrial Defender Security Event Management (SEM) console, while also enabling a managed security service offering for global RuggedCom products".

"Mandatory NERC-CIP compliance deadlines are forcing electric power companies to ensure the most critical elements of their systems meet stringent security requirements on an abbreviated timeframe," said Marzio Pozzuoli, president and CEO of RuggedCom: "Our partnership with Industrial Defender enables us to deliver our technology with an increased level of cyber security, providing customers with a more comprehensive and complete solution".

RuggedCom also has become the first Industrial Defender Enabled Premier Partner in a new program designed to match technology providers with the Industrial Defender cyber security solutions for the real-time process control/SCADA market.

Key integrated solution components include:.

* Industrial Defender Defense-in-Depth cyber security monitoring and management through their Security Event Management (SEM) console.

* RuggedCom hardened network infrastructure products for harsh environments, including electrical substations (routers, switches, serial servers, wireless devices, media converters and Gauntlet user authentication).

* Industrial Defender cyber security technology products for non-harsh environments including Firewall/UTM, HIDS and NIDS capabilities.

* Industrial Defender network professional services and managed security services with proven experience and expertise enabling customers to meet NERC-CIP assessment requirements.

For more information on the joint cyber security solution or the Industrial Defender Enabled Partner Programme, please visit the website.

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