Velta Technology and TXOne Networks Inc. are teaming to help organizations safeguard their industrial control systems (ICS) and avoid potential revenue disruptions ahead of an imminent Microsoft Windows Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening patch enablement. In the absence of a proper mitigation strategy, the DCOM hardening patch could potentially shut down ICS equipment, impacting plant production and operations.
Beginning March 14, 2023, the Microsoft hardening patch can no longer be disabled and will trigger a forced update that strengthens authentication between DCOM clients and servers. The patch is a core component of automation software products from companies such as Rockwell Automation, GE, Honeywell, Siemens and others.
“Organizations whose revenue depends on the continuous function of operational technology (OT) are officially on the clock and need to have a solution in place before March 14,” said Craig Duckworth, president and co-founder of Velta Technology.
Velta Technology and TXOne Networks have come together to offer organizations a solution to allow time for a more permanent fix to the imminent patch. Without implementation of the interim solution, companies will be faced with needing to either replace hardware systems and associated software, or identify and rewrite the code for every affected piece of equipment in their OT environments.
Velta Technology and TXOne Networks have partnered to provide a cost-effective and time-efficient interim solution that will maintain operations following the patch. Velta Technology’s industrial cybersecurity experts are utilizing TXOne Networks’ Stellar endpoint protection as a stopgap to the hardening patch, providing customers ample time to develop a more manageable, long-term solution.
“Our collaboration with Velta Technology surfaced the urgent market need for these DCOM-impacted operations,” said Jeff DePasse, sr. vice president of the Americas for TXOne Networks. “Velta Technology’s deep OT expertise paired with TXOne Networks’ Stellar technology creates this novel capability.”
Added Dino Busalachi, chief technology officer and Velta Technology co-founder: “DCOM is embedded into most industrial control systems, and, unless you have an accurate asset inventory, this puts your plant floor at major risk for disruptions and outages. We are excited to partner with TXOne Networks to provide a unique, cost-effective stopgap that offers organizations valuable time to implement a permanent solution.”
To get prepared and learn more about the DCOM patch, download the free ‘Get DCOM Ready’ Business Brief.
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