Control Systems Cyber Security Vendors Forum will improve information flow

Maynard, MA, Jan. 3, 2007 – It’s not often that monthly conference calls and periodic meetings draw much attention beyond the water cooler. But then again, it’s not often that fierce competitors sit down together to discuss things that are important for the world’s critical infrastructures.

That’s just the case, however, as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Control Systems Security Program is facilitating monthly teleconferences with international control system vendors and equipment manufactures to discuss ways to increase cyber security in the systems which operate critical infrastructures.

This group of industrial automation, control systems, and SCADA vendors, along with the National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, have formed the Control Systems Cyber Security Vendors Forum.

The purpose of this forum is to facilitate collaboration between government and vendors, and to provide vendors an open forum to discuss common issues that affect control systems security. The forum gives each vendor the opportunity to gain knowledge that can provide another avenue of information flow and awareness to industry.

In the past, these vendors have worked together with the automation industry, national laboratories, and government agencies in order to find solutions to security issues. Within this forum for the first time, control system vendors are meeting regularly to jointly look at security issues.

Industrial automation, control system and SCADA customers and other stakeholders in the community will see the results of this forum in terms of a more coherent response to common security problems. Mr. Kevin Staggs of Honeywell stated, "This Forum will lead to more security products, which help to improve business performance and peace of mind."

The Control Systems Cyber Security Vendors Forum provides an opportunity to keep the vendor community informed of the National Cyber Security Division’s programs, as well as the products and tools being developed. It also provides the opportunity to develop relationships of trust and cooperation between the vendor community and the government.

"What makes this forum unique is its ability to bring together a group of vendors that are traditionally in a very competitive market and openly share concerns, approaches and requirements" says Ernest Rakaczky from Invensys. "I strongly believe, through the actions of the forum we have established a trust level among Vendors that can only provide a stronger critical infrastructure in its ability to address cyber security concerns."

The Control Systems Cyber Security Vendors Forum has been holding monthly conference calls since the Fall of 2005. Participants in the forum currently include:

ABB	Rockwell Automation
AREVA	Rosemount
Emerson’s Process Systems & Solutions	Schneider Electric
division	SEL
General Electric	Siemens
Honeywell	SISCO
Invensys	Stratus Technologies
LiveData	Telvent
Open Systems International	Wonderware
OSIsoft	Yokogawa

Government participants include the Department of Homeland Security, Idaho National Laboratory, and the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team). The Control Systems Cyber Security Vendors Forum is open to all industrial automation, control systems and SCADA vendors. To join this Forum, please email CSSP@dhs.gov.

About Stratus Technologies

Stratus Technologies is a global solutions provider focused exclusively on helping its customers achieve and sustain the availability of information systems that support their critical business processes. Based upon its 25 years of expertise in server and services technology for continuous availability, Stratus is a trusted solutions provider to customers in manufacturing, life sciences, telecommunications, financial services, public safety, transportation & logistics, and other industries. For more information, visit www.stratus.com.

---

Stratus press contacts

For more information

• Download this press release in printable form (.pdf,128Kb)