TXOne Networks, a global leader in ICS and industrial IoT (IIoT) security, and AFRY, a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services with a global reach, become partners. They join forces in protecting the OT (Operational Technology) systems of their joint industrial clients in the Nordics against all kinds or cyber-attacks. The combination of TXOne Networks’ comprehensive solutions and service portfolio for security inspection, endpoint protection and network defence and AFRY’s deep sector knowledge in cybersecurity and risk management not only enables companies to reduce management complexity. Furthermore, it guarantees consistent security throughout the entire industry ecosystem within design, engineering and technology.
TXOne Networks and AFRY’s division AFRY X will better equip industrial automation customers with the protection they need to safeguard today’s vulnerable OT environments and keep their operations running. The company’s ability to protect themselves, respond to cybersecurity incidents and recover from them will be strengthened. In a proof of concept already multiple TXOne products were identified as providing needed functionality that directly addressed real-world challenges. Together TXOne and AFRY supported this POC customer with virtual patching for systems that could not be patched, highly granular firewall control of OT network protocols, malware scanning and remediation in obsolete technology as well as the ability, to manage the real-life network challenges of a complex and multi-vendor production environment. In some cases, existing equipment was replaced.
Amir Nickel, Sales Director Nordics at TXOne Networks, says: “To even further improve our customer service and solution portfolio in the Nordics, we need a competent and experienced partner like AFRY. Together we provide the vast industrial knowledge and local hands-on OT-security expertise needed to really assist customers and make a difference. Our joint customers speak highly about the AFRY team and their target-orientated service mentality, which is another proof for us that we made the right choice. We look forward to additional upcoming projects.”
IT cybersecurity provider Trend Micro, the former mother company and solution development partner of TXOne Networks, is involved in the partnership as well as Andreas Christensen, Regional Director Nordics at Trend Micro, explains: “Trend Micro is experiencing an incredible growth in the OT security market in the Nordics and this partnership offers us a great opportunity to support our customers and partners. Nordic enterprises are facing a multitude of challenges in securing OT environments and thanks to our partners, Trend Micro and TXOne are at the right place at the right time with the best products to secure the customer’s connected world of OT and IT.”
AFRY X is a leading Nordic digitalization partner combining deep sector knowledge and capabilities within design, engineering and technology. They offer digital solutions that accelerate the transition towards a sustainable society in areas like infrastructure networks, industry, energy, and digitalization. TXOne Networks is an expert for adaptive ICS/IIoT cybersecurity solutions and a pioneer in applying the “Zero Trust Cybersecurity” approach to the needs of OT networks. This so called “OT Zero Trust” approach to operational environments consists of three phases: segmenting networks, scanning inbound and mobile assets with a portable rapid-scan device, and securing endpoints with defensive solutions tailored to the endpoint’s type (legacy or modernized). The companies complement each other ideally.
Gustav Sandberg, Business Unit Manager Cyber & Communication Systems at AFRY, stresses: “We see a need for strong players to comprehensively help companies deal with the often neglected OT-security, for a more secure society and competitive industry. Together, TXOne Networks and AFRY offer leading end-to-end solutions to understand and manage risk in production systems and equipment. We provide the solutions to mitigate those risks and provide critical data. TXOne has proved themselves as a dependable vendor with reliable and unique products. This partnership is a start of a hopefully long and successful cooperation to secure industry and society and keep up with a ever changing threat landscape and evolving industry – to the advantage of our joint customers.”
