Darktrace and Garland Technology collaborate for enhanced OT security

Darktrace, a global leader in cybersecurity AI and Garland Technology, a leading manufacturer of network test access point solutions, have announced a new collaboration to enhance the security of complex industrial environments.

Darktrace and Garland Technology’s solution

This partnership brings together Darktrace/OT and Garland Technology’s network visibility solutions, offering rapid and seamless deployments for more comprehensive network visibility in operational technology (OT) environments.

With security risks on the rise in industrial environments and critical infrastructure, the collaboration aims to address the increasing monetisation of OT attacks, the exposure of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to open networks and the convergence of IT, providing heightened opportunities for threat actors.

Visibility and security

The proliferation of industrial IoT (IIoT) devices further complicates the scenario, with the global number of industrial IoT connections expected to reach 37 billion in 2025, according to Juniper Research.

This surge creates potential entry points for adversaries and leaves significant visibility gaps for security teams dealing with tight budgets and personnel shortages.

Garland’s Network TAPs and Aggregators, coupled with Darktrace/OT, are designed to swiftly enable visibility and security across OT, IT and IIoT networks up to Purdue level 1.

Purdue level 1 includes devices like programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and remote terminal units (RTUs) situated closest to the physical industrial processes.

Challenges are minimised

By utilising Garland’s network TAP solutions with Darktrace, deployment challenges are minimised, requiring little to no additional configuration in complex industrial environments.

The collaboration facilitates quick identification of points of IT and OT convergence, ensures unidirectional traffic flow and detects potential threats to maintain the security of data and environments.

Darktrace/OT employs Self-Learning AI to comprehend every detail of an organisation’s bespoke OT systems, enhancing visibility and detecting subtle deviations to thwart threats in their early stages.

Additionally, Darktrace provides a unified view of both IT and OT environments, assisting organisations in navigating the convergence of IT and OT systems.

Operating without the need for an internet connection, Darktrace/OT functions effectively within air-gapped or highly segmented networks without compromising their integrity.

“Bridge the gap between IT and OT security”

Denise Walter, Chief Revenue Officer, Darktrace commented: “Darktrace has applied its self-learning AI to protect complex OT environments since 2014, helping our customers bridge the gap between IT and OT security and enabling them to detect and respond to threats that others fail to see.

“Over the years, we have continued to expand the areas of the digital world that Darktrace can learn from and protect.

“Together with Garland Technology we can protect an even wider and more complex set of industrial environments, helping security teams to enhance the end user cyber resilience of critical industrial environments such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, water treatment facilities, electric utilities, food processing and more.”

Garland Technology’s network TAP solutions provide essential visibility for secure network management.

Tailored for industrial networks, the solution seamlessly directs all network traffic from the tapped link to Darktrace for analysis, ensuring uninterrupted operations.

Featuring built-in data diode technology, these solutions enforce one-way data flow, reducing risks from external threats.

According to both companies, this integration simplifies deployment, enhances network visibility and ensures secure unidirectional traffic.

“Protect the world’s most critical assets”

Chris Bihary, CEO & Co-Founder, Garland Technology concluded: “Garland Technology has been involved in critical infrastructure projects since 2011 when we designed our first Data Diode TAP for a customer.

“Since then we’ve been building network visibility products to help provide technology like Darktrace/OT the packet level visibility needed to protect the world’s most critical assets.

“We’re excited about this new partnership with Darktrace to work hand in-hand in protecting complex industrial environments around the world.”