Collaboration addresses new business imperative to improve control and visibility of emerging cyber risks across the maritime value chain
Image: ABS Group partners with Atos. Photo: courtesy of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.
ABS Group of Companies, Inc. (ABS Group) and Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, have announced plans to provide the industry’s first full-service Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity solution to reduce cyber risk across the global marine and offshore energy supply chain. This comprehensive solution supports implementing cybersecurity at the earliest stages of asset design and development, making cyber risk management a consistent and integral part of operations from the beginning.
“Cyber security is the new frontier in marine and offshore safety,” says Ian Bramson, Global Head of Cybersecurity at ABS Group. “As these assets become more digital, the industry must be ready to deal with a broader range of threats. Atos is a digital transformation leader in cloud-based cybersecurity and high-performance computing. Working together, we are able to deliver a converged IT/OT solution for safer, more secure assets and operations.”
As owners and operators look to reap the benefits of increased automation and digitalization, they are also more exposed to cyber threats that could have serious consequences to operations and the safety of people and the environment. This drives the need for better control, visibility and management of cyber risks in maritime operations.
“Historically, OT and IT acted as stand-alone systems in the maritime industry. Uniting Atos’ established cybersecurity expertise with ABS’ marine and offshore operational expertise provides a new industry solution in securing both IT and OT assets, devices and networks,” says Jerome Sandrini, Senior Vice President and Head of Big Data and Cybersecurity, Atos North America. “We look forward to working with ABS Group to provide converged cyber security management that combines the physical OT systems with IT’s real-time digital operations to protect personnel, company, cargo and the environment from the evolving threat landscape and prevent unwanted incidents from occurring.”
ABS Group’s portfolio of cyber security solutions provides risk-based capabilities at every stage of cyber defense and includes the proprietary Cyber Risk Reduction and Cyber Risk Rating (CybeR2) program to help clients assess, understand and control their cyber risk. The CybeR2 Program builds on the ABS FCI Cyber Risk™ method developed with the Maritime Security Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence.
Atos is the world’s third largest managed security services provider with significant experience in IT and the new cybersecurity challenges presented by IT/OT convergence as well as IoT.
Source: Company Press Release