Westermo and Eviden announce strategic partnership to develop security solutions for industrial data communications

Westermo Eltec has announced that Westermo Network Technologies and Eviden have entered into a partnership to develop high-level security solutions using crypto-agile operational technology and IoT devices for securing critical data communication in railway systems.

Westermo’s latest generation of Ethernet switches offers additional hardware support for protecting critical data. In highly interconnected systems, this enables the secure exchange of sensitive information through end-to-end encryption. In times of constantly changing threats, the solutions offer rapid adaptability to ward off cyber-attacks and protect the investments of critical infrastructure operators.

First project to develop crypto-agile switch range

Westermo and Eviden are launching a joint development project in Germany in which managed industrial gigabit Ethernet switches from Westermo’s Lynx 3510 series will be equipped with pluggable hardware security modules (HSM) from Eviden. Special crypto software installed on micro-SD memory cards will add an additional layer of security to the switches, whilst also preparing them for future cyber threat scenarios. Through this partnership, Westermo and Eviden are responding to the growing demand for crypto-agile solutions in the railway sector and other industries. Rail industry certification of the first joint product is expected by the end of 2023.

Thomas Riechmann, Vice President COO Cybersecurity Services at Eviden, says: “The IIoT market is an exciting sector with huge economic potential. At the same time, the security risk here is very high due to multiple attack vectors in the communication between devices, companies, and the cloud. For this reason, we are delighted to partner with Westermo, contributing our cybersecurity expertise and comprehensive security portfolio, to enable end-to-end security for critical data communications.”

“Growing cyber threats and regulatory requirements will pose increasing security challenges for critical infrastructure operators in the coming years,” says Jenny Sjödahl, CEO of Westermo. “As a trusted provider of industrial data communication solutions, we are committed to ensuring that our customers’ networks remain secure and can be operated over the long term. By partnering with Eviden, we can provide crypto-agile solutions that will help our rail customers safeguard their mission-critical communications in both the short and long term.”

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