Siemens Energy joins software company to deter cyberthreats
California-based software company ServiceNow and Siemens Energy said May 11 they were joining forces on technology to detect and respond to cyberthreats targeting the energy sector.
An artificial intelligence-based software system from Siemens will combine with ServiceNow’s operational management platform to form a cyberthreat detection and response service.
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“The unified software solution creates a detection engine and workflows that streamline operations for cybersecurity analysts to monitor anomalous or malicious behavior in Security Operations Centers (SOC), and energy plant operators to act on credible threat intelligence at machine speed,” the companies said.
The announcement follows a ransomware and cyberattack targeting the Colonial fuels pipeline in the US and its operating company. With its 2.5mn b/day of fuel capacity, the Colonial pipeline supplies refined petroleum products to about half the East Coast market.
Leo Simonovich, the head of industrial cybersecurity at Siemens Energy, said the AI-based software will be the first of its kind in the industry, giving the industry’s digital operating environment the ability to respond quickly enough to thwart a cyberattack.
“Most energy companies struggle with the complex technological and economic challenges involved in monitoring, detecting and preventing cyberattacks on critical infrastructure,” he added.
The federal government has formed an interagency task force to examine the attacks on Colonial. Waivers are in place on regulations that limit driving time for truckers delivering refined petroleum products for 17 states along the East Coast market and the District of Columbia, allowing fuel customers the ability to source supply while Colonial's infrastructure is impacted.