What in the World does Cybersecurity have to do with Being Green?
Colin Dunn of Fend Tech explained exactly that at VGI’s monthly meeting November 21st.
Cybersecurity runs the gamut from the software and networking hardware itself to Social Engineering, (someone pretending to be someone they’re not and gaining access to a computer because the person let’s them in), all the way to the physical protections such as fences, guard dogs and cameras. As the various types of equipment which make up our nation’s infrastructure is rebuilt and/or renewed (Operational Technology), it’s more and more controlled by computers and software, so protecting that data is crucial to protecting the piece of equipment itself. Examples of Operational Technology are heating and cooling equipment, hospital equipment, water/sewage facilities, subway systems, etc.
Fend Tech’s cybersecurity tool is a physical one, called a “Data Diode”, which protects the infrastructure equipment, by only allowing data to go “out”, so hacker’s can’t get “in”, there’s no back and forth of data packets. By allowing data packets to be sent out, operators can securely get the situational awareness they need about their equipment and can increase efficiency and reduce emissions.
Fend Tech’s Data Diode is designed to be broken down and recycled at the end of its life as well as being made right here in Virginia!
If you’re a buyer, project management, etc., be sure and ask your vendor, “How are they handling cybersecurity in the infrastructure project?”.
Reducing emissions, protecting critical infrastructure necessary for renewable energy systems, hospitals, water facilities, etc., and the piece of equipment itself being built with end of life recycling in mind, that’s an example of the intersection of cybersecurity and being green.
Many, many thank-yous to Colin Dunn of Fend Tech for coming in and speaking on November 21st.
Colin
Presentation:
Terms:
Operational Technology (OT): the hardware and software dedicated to detecting or causing changes in physical processes through direct monitoring and/or control of physical devices such as valves, pumps, etc.
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): industrial framework whereby a large number of devices or machines are connected and synchronized through the use of software tools and third platform technologies in a machine-to-machine and “Internet of Things” context.
Internet of Things (IoT): A system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
Cybersecurity: Protection of computer systems from the theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
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