SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Several former Cisco Systems, Inc. executives have announced the founding of NexDefense Inc., to provide cyber solutions for industrial control systems in the critical infrastructure sector.
Derek Harp, Michael Assante and Mike Sayre -- founders of Cisco's Intellishield offering -- said the new company brings together top industrial automation and cyber security expertise to help protect critical infrastructure, including providers of electricity, natural gas, water, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and petroleum-based products.
"Our critical systems rely upon industrial automation and control systems that have been developed over decades," Assante said. "Many began as standalone networks with little need for ICS cyber security. Over the years, the growing need for data to improve the efficiency and reliability of those processes required integration with data collection and analysis systems never contemplated in their original design.
"Today, sophisticated adversaries are capable of hacking their way into those networks. Owners of industrial systems understand the challenges, but have few tools to work with. NexDefense is building their toolboxes and contributing to community efforts to empower the defenders of control systems."
NexDefense Inc. is headquartered in California's Silicon Valley.
