Cincinnati, Ohio – September 27, 2022 – Advantech, leading provider of industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and automation technology, and Xage Security, leader in zero trust real-world security, today announced a new partnership to support zero trust adoption in critical infrastructure. Xage’s underlying technology, the Xage Fabric, seamlessly overlays every element of an operation, offering zero trust with defense-in-depth for mission-critical industries, such as energy, defense, utilities, transportation, and manufacturing.
Existing security technologies, including firewalls and VPNs, are not sufficient to secure complex environments and protect against growing threats. Gartner predicts by 2025, 45% of global organizations will have experienced attacks on software supply chains, a three-fold increase from 2021. In mission-critical operations—which frequently utilize legacy technologies or cyber-physical systems with varying security controls—customary security technologies are often inflexible and lack scalability. Attackers often exploit basic remote access solutions as key entry points to carry out ransomware and advanced attacks that disrupt operations.
Additionally, operators are working to meet new and evolving government cybersecurity mandates, all without affecting overall productivity. For example, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently issued updates to its Pipeline Security directive, which reflect core zero trust principles, including granular access control, least privilege, separation of duties, and credential management. Operators are also required to submit implementation plans within 90 days, a substantial undertaking for cybersecurity leaders already under pressure from increased attacks and a growing talent gap.
By adopting a zero trust approach, organizations can reduce the cyber-attack surface and protect against advanced threats, while also accelerating digital transformation and new business initiatives. Xage’s identity-based model secures assets and applications across both OT and multi-layer OT/IT environments. Xage was recently recognized in Gartner’s 2022 Innovation Insight for Cyber-Physical Systems Protection Platforms report, as well as in the firm’s 2022 Market Guide for Operational Technology Security.
“It’s more important than ever for critical infrastructure operators to reduce their cyber-attack surface and protect against advanced threats,” said Roman Arutyunov, co-founder and VP of Products at Xage. “The Xage Fabric accomplishes this without having to rip-and-replace equipment and delivers zero trust with defense-in-depth. With years of industry experience, Advantech’s domain-focused hardware will complement the Xage Fabric to protect mission-critical operations.”
Featured Advantech devices compatible with Xage Security include the FWA-1211 industrial cybersecurity appliance, with Intel Atom™ processing and LAN-bypass capabilities, and the UNO-2271G-V2 small form-factor industrial edge IoT gateway, which runs the latest Intel CPU technology. Advantech’s FWA-1211 appliances and UNO edge gateways provide reliable, cost-effective hardware in ruggedized form factors, delivering optimal efficiency and flexibility in edge infrastructure.
