Symantec goes all-in on securing critical infrastructure

Symantec has revealed a new offering that it says will greatly help boost the security of critical infrastructure in key industries across the world.

The new Industrial Control System Protection (ICSP) Neural is the industry’s first neural network and scanning station able to defend critical infrastructure and operational technology, safeguarding against possibly catastrophic cyberattacks.

Symantec says that the likes of energy providers and manufacturing facilities are facing more cyberthreats than ever before as hackers look to broaden their attack horizons, and is looking to provide effective protection through an easy-to-understand and use platform.

USB attacks

This includes the threat of hackers using USB devices to gain access to critical networks, a tactic seen to devastating effect in the Stuxnet worm several years ago.

However many critical infrastructure systems rely on USB devices to deliver much-needed updates to what are often antiquated systems. Symantec's new release protects against such flaws by continually monitoring and protecting against malicious USB devices, even in remote locations.

“USB devices are given away at events, shared between co-workers, and reused again and again for business and personal use, introducing the risk of accidental or malicious infection. The impact of connecting an infected device to a critical system can be devastating,” said Patrick Gardner, senior vice president, advanced threat protection and email security, Symantec. 

“Behind the scenes, ICSP Neural retrofits existing infrastructure with a central nervous system utilizing artificial intelligence to protect critical infrastructure. On the front end, a rugged aluminum design embodies a simple, intuitive user experience that clearly highlights potential threats.” 

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December 06, 2018 at 09:01PM
Mike Moore