Belden acquires Byres Security

Signal transmission company Belden Inc has purchased Byres Security Inc to enhance its ability to protect industrial automation systems from cyberattack, enhancing its networking platform.

According to Belden, Byres' Tofino security technology in particular strengthens Belden's leadership in industrial networking solutions. Industrial control system and SCADA operators have experienced a wake-up call over the last year with a large number of PLC vulnerabilities disclosed and the Stuxnet cyberattack. There is now high interest in improving cybersecurity at both the plant and management levels of organisations.

The Tofino Industrial Security Solution is Byres' flagship product. It combines security appliances with loadable software modules to protect industrial networks from external cyber threats and internal network accidents. The technology is designed to be put into service without plant shutdowns and with simple implementation steps. Byres will run as an independent business unit under Belden, and the Tofino Security brand will remain the same. Byres will continue: developing technology for robust industrial control system security; helping companies adopt industrial security solutions; advocating for a higher level of industrial cyber security within organisations; contributing to the development of industrial cybersecurity standards.

Tofino Security is used by the process control, SCADA, manufacturing and automation industries. That includes power generation (conventional and alternative), transmission and distribution, factory and process automation, oil and gas, traffic and railway, embedded systems, and manufacturing. Belden has been using Tofino Security technology in its Eagle line of security products for the past two years and BSI was already using Belden’s Hirschmann hardware in many of its Tofino Security products over the same period.