Wurldtech Unveils Next Gen Firewall for Industrial Networks

New Next Generation Firewall Designed to Assess, Protect, and Certify Critical Infrastructure

Wurldtech Security Technologies, a GE-owned company that specializes in securing critical infrastructure against cyber threats, has launched a new network security solution built specifically to protect industrial and SCADA operations.

The Achilles Industrial Next Gen Firewall (NGFW) monitors industrial protocol traffic and blocks unexpected or malicious activity in order to secure operational technology (OT) environments, the company said.

“Network disruptions can often result in substantial downtime and productivity loss,” said Neil McDonnell, the CEO of Wurldtech. “System operators need specific protection to safeguard their industrial and SCADA operations, especially in markets like oil and gas, electric power, nuclear, chemical, manufacturing and water treatment. This latest addition to our broad portfolio of offerings delivers customers industry-leading threat intelligence to protect them from the persistent threat of cyber attack.”

By combining firewall capabilities with intrusion prevention, and application visibility and control, the Achilles Industrial NGFW is able to inspect, track and secure network traffic. The solution is designed so that customers can manage security policies, configure protection profiles, and segment the network through a graphical interface with drag-and-drop virtual zoning features. For network-wide industrial security visibility, the product integrates industrial protocol analysis, Wurldtech said.

According to the company, the solution can be deployed alongside existing firewalls to provide application layer visibility into the OT network.

“Infrequent patch windows and out-of support systems are an ongoing challenge for industrial organizations,” commented Sid Snitkin, ARC Advisory Group VP at Enterprise Advisory Services. “Next generation firewalls with virtual network segmentation and deep-packet inspection of industrial protocols offer a powerful means to deploy the required compensatory controls.  Ease of configuration and maintenance are essential to ensure that controls can be quickly developed and safely applied.”

The Achilles Industrial Next Gen Firewall is available as a Perimeter unit for deployments at the IT/OT boundary, and as environmentally hardened Field units designed for securing remote assets.

Wurldtech told SecurityWeek that the price for the Perimeter model starts at $30,000, while the price for the Field model starts at $6,000.

In addition to the Achilles Industrial NGFW, the company offers Achilles Test products and services to help identify and assess vulnerabilities. The company also provides communications and practices certifications which help ensure that best practices are being followed when it comes to device security and deployment.

Related: Register for the 2014 ICS Cyber Security Conference