Waterfall's Unidirectional Security Gateway technology compatible with NERC-CIP Version 5

NEW YORK, USA: Waterfall Security Solutions, which specializes in critical infrastructure and industrial control systems security, announced that its suite of products and its underlying Unidirectional Security Gateway technology enable critical infrastructure organizations to meet the rules set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) November 22 approval of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Version 5 standards.

The NERC-CIP Version 5 standards address modern cyber attack patterns by encouraging the use of unidirectional security gateway technology, which is stronger and more reliable than firewalls. The standards mark a new approach that focuses on the development of strong internal controls by responsible entities.

Among the solutions that are compatible with NERC-CIP Version 5, are:

Unidirectional Security Gateways: Enable data visibility and availability by replicating servers reliably and in real time from industrial control system networks to corporate networks through unidirectional hardware, eliminating the risk of any cyber attack returning into the control network.

Waterfall for Bulk Electric System (BES) Control Centers: Protects two-way communications by using Unidirectional Security Gateways to replicate Inter-Control-Center Protocol (ICCP) communications endpoints in two directions, deployed as two completely independent communications channels.

Waterfall FLIP and Waterfall FLIP for Substations: Hardware-enforced Unidirectional Security Gateways that can temporarily reverse gateway orientation to allow occasional external inputs from time to time.

Lior Frenkel, CEO and co-founder of Waterfall Security, said: "The security threats facing our critical infrastructure are real, and the NERC-CIP Version 5 standards paint a clear picture of what entities need to do to keep up with the evolution of cyber attack methodologies.

"Waterfall's line of Unidirectional Security Gateway solutions not only enable secure IT/OT integration, they also meet specific provisions in the NERC CIP standards, which encourage NERC Entities to focus on strengthening their security programs rather than spending their efforts on simply achieving minimum compliance."