Inside Honeywell's new cyber security facility

July 29, 2015
Honeywell recently opened an industrial cyber security facility as part of an effort to help companies secure their networks sooner rather than later.

Honeywell recently announced the opening of the Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security Lab to research and defend industrial facilities and operations such as refineries and manufacturing plants from cyber attacks.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, cyberattacks are up 25% since 2011 and have risen sharply in the past year. Even more troubling, in 40% of these attacks, experts did not know how hackers intruded the system because of a lack of detection and monitoring capabilities. In a similar study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs in September 2014 on behalf of Honeywell, 75% of respondents from 10 different countries said they were fearful that cyber criminals could infiltrate their systems, with the oil and gas, chemicals and power industries being named as particularly vulnerable. 

For more than a decade, the Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security group has delivered more than 1,000 industrial cyber security projects globally. 

“We have a successful history of providing cyber defense solutions for our industrial customers and this new cyber lab expands our capabilities,” said Jeff Zindel, global business leader for Cyber Security, HPS. “We will be able to validate new solutions faster in a variety of scenarios and increase our customers’ defenses against the growing threat of cyber attacks."

The brand new cyber security facility, located in Duluth, Ga., cyber security experts will utilize a model of a complete process control network for proprietary research and hands-on training in order to develop industrial cyber security solutions. Alongisde its new lab, Honeywell also hired a number of cyber security experts increase to strengthen its development and business teams.

“Many of our customers have come to us looking for cyber security solutions to defend their industrial facilities, operations and people from damage, disruption and misuse,” said Zindel. “They understand the very real threat that is out there, and they want to be more proactive in guarding against it. Honeywell is building on its leading industrial cyber security expertise and experience with this new research and development lab as well as adding highly-regarded cyber security experts around the globe to support our customers’ growing needs.”