Honeywell has announced the launch of its first industrial cybersecurity center of excellence (COE) at its Middle East headquarters in Dubai. The new COE is a pioneering technology center with a safe off-process environment to test and demonstrate process-control-network vulnerabilities and threats, train customers with real-time attack simulations, and provide advanced customer consultations.
“This COE is the first of its kind dedicated to developing world-class industrial cybersecurity expertise for our customers in the region,” said Jeff Zindel, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security. “It provides a safe, real-world environment to learn in, allowing us to innovate and augment industrial cybersecurity skills. The center is also a critical part of Honeywell’s network of global cybersecurity COEs dedicated to improving industrial cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, information technology, and operational technology convergence and digital transformation.”
The center contains distributed control systems, a physical-plant process, and the latest industrial cybersecurity software. It includes data analytics and networking equipment capable of supporting unique training sessions, demonstrations, workshops, and cyberattack simulations. The facility is led by a full-time operations team with deep industrial cybersecurity expertise and operational-technology knowledge fundamental to help customers stay ahead of cyberthreats.
“As threats to industrial control environments become more sophisticated, it will be crucial to train the workforce of the industry for effective cybersecurity implementation,” said Safdar Akhtar, business development director of Industrial Cyber Security for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Honeywell Process Solutions. “At the center, we are able to demonstrate cybersecurity solutions and controls in attack scenarios to show which of them are most effective at combatting various attacks.”
The center was inaugurated by Jeff Zindel during a launch event that showcased the solutions within the COE, followed by a demonstration of real-time cyberattack scenarios and the effectiveness of advanced cybersecurity controls.
The COE provides a hub in the region to collect customer feedback and collaborate with global research and development teams to help develop solutions for the region and global markets.