Macnica and Dragos to Deliver OT Cybersecurity to Critical Infrastructure and Manufacturing Control Systems in Japan

HANNOVER, MD and YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, JULY 19, 2023 – Dragos, the global leader in cybersecurity for Operational Technology (OT), and Macnica Corporation (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, President: Kazumasa Hara, hereinafter referred to as Macnica), have signed an agency agreement to provide Dragos’s OT cybersecurity solutions in Japan, and today have announced availability. 

Challenges and Background of OT Security 

Cyber risks are rapidly increasing in critical infrastructure and manufacturing, driven by the rise of threat groups targeting OT and the rise in ransomware attacks. In particular, cyber attacks on critical infrastructure risk impairing societal functions, and countermeasures are urgently needed.  

The Japanese government is also planning to introduce an examination system to check whether sufficient measures to protect systems are being applied to critical infrastructure in 14 industries, including electricity and gas.*¹ Strengthening OT security has become an important theme. Countermeasures include cyber hygiene (defense approach to prevent incidents) and cyber resilience (early detection of incidents, early minimization of damage). Both are important, but it can be difficult to respond comprehensively, given that the threats and countermeasures in OT environments are different than in IT environments and require specialized knowledge and technologies. 

Dragos Products, Services, and Intelligence Offered Through Macnica 

Macnica supports the promotion of effective OT cybersecurity measures by addressing customers’ OT security risks as a companion partner, by selecting products and services according to their issues and situations, introducing them, and providing operational support after introduction. 

Dragos Platform:

• A platform that provides visibility into assets, network communication, and vulnerabilities; detection of potential threats or breaches; and playbooks for forensics and response. 
• Neighborhood Keeper option for “collective defense” that anonymously aggregates the detection status of threats for each industry and shares them in a timely manner.

Leveraging the power of the Dragos Platform, Professional Services include: 

• OT Cybersecurity Architecture Review, which evaluates the design and implementation of the OT network; identifying security issues and providing actionable recommendations to improve the security posture of the OT environment. 
• Compromise Assessment, included as part of an OT Cybersecurity Architecture Review or available as a standalone service, provides visibility within an OT environment, inspecting traffic samples for vulnerabilities, threat behaviors, and indicators of compromise. 

WorldView:

• Products that provide useful information for countermeasures, such as the latest knowledge (incident analysis, attack TTP/IoC, vulnerability) and situation reports specialized for OT.

“We are confident that Dragos OT cybersecurity solutions will help protect Japanese businesses,” said Takashi Hoshino, Vice President, Macnica Networks Company. “The partnership with Dragos is a critical cornerstone in our commitment to increasingly connected local industrial systems. We are thrilled to work with Dragos as a leader in industrial security across the globe.” 

“Japanese companies are renowned for innovation as well as their commitment to societal good, and we are honored that our OT cybersecurity solutions will help protect Japanese businesses and communities at a time of rapid digital transformation,” said Christophe Culine, Vice President of Global Sales and Chief Revenue Officer, Dragos. “Bringing Dragos’s technology to Japan is key to our growth strategy and we are thrilled to enter the market through Macnica, given the company’s esteemed reputation, history in the country, and commitment to helping Japanese businesses. Macnica’s proven models deliver optimized value to each customer in its extensive customer base. This direction is aligned with our mission to safeguard civilization.” 

In order to protect society from cyber threats, Macnica provides security products and services for OT and IoT as a CPS security business. Going forward, it will continue to support the strengthening of Japan security by providing optimal solutions to companies in critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and other industries. 

About Dragos

Dragos has a global mission to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The Dragos Platform offers the most effective industrial cybersecurity technology, giving customers visibility into their ICS/OT assets, vulnerabilities, threats, and response actions. The strength behind the Dragos Platform comes from our ability to codify Dragos’s industry-leading OT threat intelligence, and insights from the Dragos services team, into the software. Our community-focused approach gives you access to the largest array of industrial organizations participating in collective defense, with the broadest visibility available.  

Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including electric, oil & gas, manufacturing, building automation systems, chemical, government, water, food & beverage, mining, transportation, and pharmaceutical. Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, DC area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East.  

About Macnica Corporation 

Macnica is a service and solution company that handles the latest technologies in total, with semiconductors and cyber security at its core. With 81 locations in 23 countries and regions around the world, we utilize the technological capabilities and global network cultivated over a history of more than 50 years to discover, propose, and implement cutting-edge technologies such as AI, IoT, and autonomous driving. 

About Macnica: www.macnica.co.jp 

Details of products/examples：https://www.macnica.co.jp/business/iot_security/manufacturers/dragos/ 

For inquiries about Dragos offerings through Macnica Corporation, email: dragos-sales@macnica.co.jp 

PR Contacts: 

Macnica Corporation: 

macpr@macnica.co.jp 

Dragos: 

Kesselring Communications for Dragos  

Leslie Kesselring, 503-358-1012  

Leslie@kesscomm.com 

*1: A system stipulated in the Act on Promotion of Economic Security (Article 52, Paragraph 1 of the Act) enacted on May 11, 2022, in which the government conducts a preliminary review of critical infrastructure companies when they introduce critical equipment (including systems) in order to reduce the risk of cyberattacks from the outside. It will be implemented in stages within two years of promulgation. 

* Company names and product names mentioned in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macnica Corporation and each company. 

* The information contained in this news release (including product prices, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of publication. Please note that it is subject to change without notice.