At CES2019, BlackRidge Technology, a provider of next-generation cyber defense solutions, reportedly has launched a new identity-based product line for critical infrastructure and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). The company will demonstrate the BlackRidge Transport Access Control (TAC) product family and a new BlackRidge TAC Identity (TAC-ID) device at the event. TAC-ID is designed to provide identity for authenticating network connections for new and legacy equipment in factories, hospitals and critical infrastructure architectures, and it supports the secure convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) networks.
IT infrastructure and systems are evolving rapidly, driven by an influx of intelligent and connected devices – from sensors in manufacturing plants to medical devices in hospitals – that need protection from complex and treacherous threats. As OT security has lagged, hackers are increasingly attacking ICS environments and IIoT connected devices. According to Grand View Research, the global critical infrastructure protection market should reach US$135.48 billion by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 10.1 percent during the forecast period, with North America dominating revenue share.
BlackRidge secures IIoT devices and OT networks via patented First Packet Authentication technology, which authenticates identity and enforces security policy on the first packet of a network session. The technology blocks or redirects traffic, controls access, and enables network microsegmentation and segregation.
“The hardware used in OT environments typically has a shelf life of a decade or longer, meaning the organizations tasked with operating and managing critical infrastructure must find a way to protect legacy equipment that is incompatible with modern network security technologies,” said Michael Murray, SVP and GM, cyber physical systems, BlackRidge Technology. “BlackRidge TAC-ID allows organizations to start securing their OT networks today – either by installing our device into the network or our software endpoint in their current infrastructure – with minimal latency impact. Furthermore, we are working with OEMs and silicon vendors to license and embed the technology for future integrations.”