Fortinet and Siemens Partner to Provide Best-in-Class Protection for Operational Technology Networks

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, today announced a technology alliance partnership with Siemens, a global industrial powerhouse specializing in digital industries from environments such as electrical power, transportation, and oil and gas. Also announced today is the companies’ first integrated solution combining best-in-class technology and a worldwide resell agreement to address the unique security and connectivity requirements of operational technology (OT) networks.

While OT environments have traditionally been isolated from the rest of the IT network, efforts to converge IT and OT to provide more responsive and agile business outcomes have exposed OT and industrial control systems (ICS) to increased cybersecurity risk. According to the SANS 2019 OT/ICS Survey, just over 50 percent of respondents rated the level of ICS cyber risk to their organization as “severe/critical” or “high.” However, given the nature of many OT environments, traditional security solutions can sometimes leave gaps in protection of the aging or sensitive systems in place. Additionally, deploying reliable connectivity and security in harsh and frequently remote or substation environments has traditionally not been easy. While rugged products do exist, assembling and deploying the various parts of the complete solution can create issues with connectivity, reliability, space, and even physical security.

Highlighting the growing importance of cybersecurity in OT environments and the need for solutions specifically created for OT networks, Siemens has joined the Fortinet Fabric-Ready Technology Alliance Partner Program to address the security challenges associated with the convergence of OT and IT networks. Technology ecosystem partners are a key part of the Fortinet Security Fabric, which enables Fortinet and partner products to cooperatively integrate and provide comprehensive security solutions. Fortinet’s technology ecosystem partner solutions enable customers to gain more effective security and get even more value from their security deployments.

The first Fabric-Ready solution from Fortinet and Siemens integrates Fortinet’s industry-leading FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall with the Ruggedcom Multi-Service Platform family of switches and routers to improve the integration of cybersecurity into locations with harsh environments such as electrical substations, while simplifying management, space, and power issues. This solution provides a single, integrated appliance for OT networks. By simplifying deployment to a single piece of hardware, the power, space, physical security, and connectivity issues typically encountered outside of a single box deployment model are resolved. Remote management further simplifies the deployment and ongoing management. In addition to this joint solution, Siemens will bring to market Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall VM bundled with the APE 1808 to further enable the availability of advanced security solutions for OT environments.

Today’s announcement and addition of Siemens to the Fabric-Ready Partner program extends the range of integrated security solutions now available to OT customers through the Fortinet Security Fabric, and is further testament to Fortinet and Siemens’ commitment to creating OT-specific solutions designed to address the unique needs and requirements of their joint customers. The Fortinet Security Fabric provides a unique integrated and automated platform approach to security through purpose-built solutions and AI threat intelligence, combined with strategic partnerships with some of the industry’s leading security specialists. Unlike most security platforms, the Fortinet Security Fabric is flexible enough to easily accommodate and integrate with a large number of partners to provide truly comprehensive security coverage.

Supporting Quotes:
“OT networks are increasingly exposed to cyber threats through their convergence with IT systems. By partnering with Siemens, a global leader in OT digital solutions, Fortinet continues our focus on expanding the Fortinet Security Fabric platform deep into OT networks. This partnership enables our customers to get even more value from their security deployments and facilitates the development and delivery of truly comprehensive, end-to-end security solutions specifically designed for OT environments.”
- John Maddison, EVP of products and CMO at Fortinet

“Organizations with OT systems face a unique set of requirements when it comes to connectivity and security. Partnering with Fortinet underscores the importance of cybersecurity in OT environments. As a Fortinet Fabric-Ready Partner, we are able to bring leading cybersecurity technology to our customers to integrate this offering within new projects as well as our vast installed base. This ensures their networks not only stay up and running, but also remain secure even in the harshest environments.” 
- Hannes Barth, General Manager Siemens Ruggedcom

Additional Resources

• Learn more about Fortinet and Siemens security solutions.
• Learn more about securing critical infrastructure with Fortinet.
• Learn more about the Fortinet Fabric-Ready Technology Alliance Partner program.
• Find out how Fortinet’s Security Fabric delivers broad, integrated, and automated protection across an organization’s entire digital attack surface from IoT to the Edge, Network Core and to Multi-Clouds.
• Learn more about Fortinet’s Technology Alliances Ecosystem.
• Learn more about FortiGuard Labs and the FortiGuard Security Services portfolio.
• Learn more about the FortiGuard Security Rating Service, which provides security audits and best practices.
• Learn more about Fortinet or read more about Fortinet’s Network Security Expert program, Network Security Academy program, and FortiVets program.
• Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) secures the largest enterprise, service provider, and government organizations around the world. Fortinet empowers its customers with intelligent, seamless protection across the expanding attack surface and the power to take on ever-increasing performance requirements of the borderless network - today and into the future. Only the Fortinet Security Fabric architecture can deliver security without compromise to address the most critical security challenges, whether in networked, application, cloud or mobile environments. Fortinet ranks #1 in the most security appliances shipped worldwide and more than 425,000 customers trust Fortinet to protect their businesses. Learn more at http://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, or FortiGuard Labs.    

FTNT-O

Copyright © 2019 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet's trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, FortiGate, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiOS, FortiADC, FortiAP, FortiAppMonitor, FortiASIC, FortiAuthenticator, FortiBridge, FortiCache, FortiCamera, FortiCASB, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFone, FortiCarrier, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiMail, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiPlanner, FortiPortal, FortiPresence , FortiProxy, FortiRecorder, FortiSandbox, FortiSIEM, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLCOS and FortiWLM.

Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments. This news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding technology releases among others. Changes of circumstances, product release delays, or other risks as stated in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, located at www.sec.gov, may cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release. If the uncertainties materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Fortinet assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.