HOUSTON (March 20, 2017)—Siemens and Atos announced they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and will leverage their portfolios to help U.S. utilities and the oil and gas industry establish an integrated first line of defense against cyberattacks.
Siemens and Atos work together in the area of cybersecurity for industrial companies, providing customers in the manufacturing and processing industries with comprehensive security services and products, according to a statement about the deal from Siemens.
The Siemens and Atos partnership in the U.S. is part of a global agreement around cybersecurity including common go-to-market and shared research and development efforts to target Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) security for any market.
A recent study from the independent Ponemon Institute shows that nearly 70 percent of U.S. oil and gas cyber managers said their operations have had at least one security compromise in the past year, resulting in the loss of confidential information or OT disruption—highlighting the need for the oil and gas industry to increase its cyber defenses, according to Siemens.
“As the energy industry benefits from digital technologies and solutions, there is a need to guard against growing cyber threats,” said Judy Marks, CEO Siemens USA and executive vice president of New Equipment Solutions for the Dresser-Rand business, part of Siemens Power and Gas Division. “This new cooperation is part of our broad effort to deliver cybersecurity solutions to America’s energy sector. By bridging operational technology and information technology capabilities, we can strengthen our customers’ defenses against costly and disruptive attacks.”