Schneider Electric and Fortinet have joined forces in a strategic partnership to provide cybersecurity solutions that address the unique needs of OT networks. Under the terms of the agreement, Schneider Electric will integrate Fortinet's firewalls, secure access, and other device protection solutions into its own cybersecurity solutions to help customers secure and protect their increasingly digital operations.
"Businesses must address cybersecurity at all levels of their operations and continuously throughout the lifecycle, especially as they continue to take advantage of new digital technologies to extract more value from their operations," said Jay Abdallah, vice president, cybersecurity services, Schneider Electric. "Today, more than ever, it is critical for owner-operators to address cybersecurity risks upfront and then implement the best cybersecurity solutions for their specific needs and environments. By combining our technology, experience and expertise with Fortinet's products, we are better able to develop and implement custom, holistic solutions that not only enable our customers' digital transformations but also improve their ability to manage cybersecurity risks across the operations lifecycle."
As a panelist in Fortinet's free webinar Securing the Future of Industrial Controls: Insights from an Operations Leader Survey, Abdallah will join Fortinet experts and other industry leaders to discuss the ongoing IT-OT convergence, how the growing number of internet of things (IoT) devices impacts plant environments, and how applying best practices will address the challenges of securing the digitally transformed landscape. The webinar is scheduled to take place on Aug. 20, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. To register, visit here.
With threat vectors changing practically by the hour and with the critical infrastructure and global manufacturing industries under increasing threat, cybersecurity is not a one-time thing. Because risks are dynamic, the approach to managing and mitigating cyber risks must also be dynamic. Different operations require different solutions, and their needs will change over time.
By bringing together Schneider Electric's technology and experience managing mission-critical IT and OT systems with Fortinet's cybersecurity offers, the partnership promises to deliver stronger cybersecurity and threat-prevention solutions that fit the unique and changing needs of businesses.
The agreement is structured to allow the companies to jointly develop cybersecurity solutions for specific industries and applications. Customers will have more access to leading products and customized, flexible cybersecurity solutions, with Fortinet applications integrated with Schneider Electric offers.
"We're pleased to join Schneider Electric to enable organizations adopting digital innovation to unlock the advantages of the internet and connected industrial internet of things (IIoT) devices," said Rick Peters, CISO, OT, Fortinet. "By delivering cybersecurity solutions tailor-made for OT environments, we are able to protect organizations by reducing cybersecurity risk across multi-vector threat landscapes. This partnership highlights two companies with a deep understanding of the needs, requirements, and constraints of OT environments working together to provide unique cybersecurity solutions. We look forward to collaborating with Schneider Electric to bring together the best technology and expertise available."
