Darktrace, the leader in Enterprise Immune System technology, has announced the launch of the Industrial Immune System, a new product capable of detecting emerging cyber-threats within Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Applying Darktrace’s machine learning and mathematics to both operational technology (OT) and corporate environments for the first time, the launch marks the beginning of a new era for the protection of critical infrastructure, delivering real-time detection of today’s most advanced cyber-attackers and subtle insider threats.

Industrial Control Systems, including SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), are relied on by power stations, factories and other parts of critical infrastructure to manage key processes, yet are increasingly being targeted by advanced hackers and exposed to vulnerabilities that originate in the corporate network. As IT and Operational Technology (OT) environments continue to converge, managers of ICS have been faced with the challenge of protecting these crucial systems and data, in spite of inherent security weaknesses and the continual risk of insider threat.

Darktrace’s Industrial Immune System represents a major innovation for critical infrastructure providers, giving them a holistic, visual overview of their production environments and alerting them to potential threats, before they develop into full-blown cyber-attacks. Powered by Enterprise Immune System technology developed at the University of Cambridge, Darktrace has specially adapted its innovative mathematical models to ICS data, forming an adaptive ‘pattern of life’ for the machines, networks and users within these environments, which is used to spot previously unidentified anomalies, in real time.

The Industrial Immune System is available as part of Darktrace’s flagship Enterprise Immune System, and has already been rolled out at the European energy leader Drax. Following successfully implementing Darktrace’s self-learning appliance within its corporate IT network, Drax chose to extend threat visibility into their SCADA systems too, using the Industrial Immune System to continuously monitor behaviors and alert security operators to any suspicious or abnormal activity.

“Nothing is fool-proof in the modern-day challenge of cyber security, especially when it comes to protecting complex SCADA systems. Darktrace has transformed our ability to preempt threats, by shining a light into our production environments and helping us focus our investigations,” said Peter Emery, Group Operations Director at Drax. “With Darktrace, we now have visibility of both our corporate and production environments, enhancing our ability to anticipate potential issues early, wherever they originate.”

“We are very excited to extend our industry-leading Enterprise Immune System technology to the critical field of Industrial Control Systems,” commented Nicole Eagan, CEO of Darktrace. “By studying the behavior of the control system itself, not the industrial process that it manages, we can provide increased confidence that the control system in functioning as intended. The Industrial Immune System’s fundamental ability to detect previously-unidentified cyber threats within SCADA and other operational technology systems is a world-first, helping operators meaningfully improve the resilience of critical infrastructure, and the safety of the people that work in these environments.”

For more information about Darktrace's Industrial Immune System, visit https://darktrace.com/products or email ics@darktrace.com.

About Darktrace

Named ‘Best Security Company of the Year’ by Info Security Products Guide 2015, Darktrace is one of the world’s leading cyber threat defense companies. Its Enterprise Immune System technology detects previously unidentified threats in real time, powered by machine learning and mathematics developed at the University of Cambridge, which analyze the behavior of every device, user and network within an organization. Some of the world’s largest corporations rely on Darktrace’s self-learning appliance in sectors including energy and utilities, financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and transportation. Founded in 2013 by leading machine learning specialists and government intelligence experts, Darktrace is headquartered in Cambridge, UK and Washington D.C., with offices in Dallas, London, Milan, Melbourne, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Singapore.

About Drax

Drax is principally a power generation business responsible for meeting typically 7–8% of the UK’s electricity demand. As the owner and operator of the largest power station in the UK, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint. Upstream in the supply chain, the Company has a presence in the US focused on building and operating wood pellet plants for the self-supply of sustainable biomass. At the other end of the supply chain, Drax's retail arm, Haven Power, serves the electricity needs of a growing number of business customers. Alongside business partners, Alstom and BOC, we have formed Capture Power which will be responsible for the development, implementation and operation of the proposed White Rose Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project.