IoT in Factories-Honeywell and Intel arms join hands

SAN ANTONIO, USA: Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) and Intel Security are planning to collaborate to help bolster protection of critical industrial infrastructure and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

As per an announcement, Intel Security’s McAfee technologies will be integrated with Honeywell’s Industrial Cyber Security Solutions, providing Honeywell customers with enhanced security software to protect their control systems from malware and misuse.

HPS is a player in the industrial automation space, and its Industrial Cyber Security Solutions group has a dedicated global team of industrial cyber security experts that provide products, services and technologies to help protect industrial automation and control systems against cyber threats, as Honeywell added. The collaboration between Intel Security and HPS is said to combine the latest advances in cyber security technology with Honeywell’s unique industrial process domain knowledge to provide tailored security solutions for the industrial environment.

“The threat of cyber attacks on industrial and critical infrastructure targets is growing rapidly and our customers are demanding effective cyber security to assist them in protecting their assets and people. Working with Intel Security expands our capabilities to enhance the availability, reliability and safety of customers’ industrial control systems and plant operations,” said Jeff Zindel, global business leader for Honeywell’s Industrial Cyber Security Solutions group.

The growing threat of cyber attacks to industrial targets is a major global concern according to a global survey on cyber security conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs in September 2014 on behalf of Honeywell. Two-thirds of those surveyed thought that the oil and gas, chemicals and power industries were particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Raj Samani, vice president and chief technology officer, Intel Security says, “Technologies in the IIoT space have a tremendous amount of potential, and we can’t let security concerns undermine that; instead, security has to enable the growth of IIoT, and that’s what our engagement with Honeywell will do.”