Fast Facts

• Emerson and Armexa are partnering to deliver unified cybersecurity services for DeltaV automation platform customers worldwide.
• Armexa is now an authorized Emerson service provider, offering risk assessments and network intrusion detection for operational technology (OT) environments.
• The alliance aims to simplify vendor management and speed up security project rollouts in sectors like energy, LNG, chemicals, and manufacturing.
• Services include consequence-based risk assessments, turnkey deployment, and maintenance of OT security systems.
• This move responds to rising cyberattacks targeting industrial control systems and critical infrastructure globally.

When Factories Become the Frontline

Imagine the hum of a chemical plant, robotic arms and conveyor belts moving in perfect synchrony - until a silent, unseen adversary slips in through a digital backdoor. In recent years, industrial control systems, the nerve centers of modern manufacturing, have become prime targets for hackers seeking ransom, sabotage, or even geopolitical leverage. The Emerson-Armexa partnership arrives as a direct response to this escalating cyber arms race.

Emerson, a heavyweight in automation, is betting that teaming up with Armexa, an OT (operational technology) cybersecurity specialist, will offer DeltaV platform customers a single, streamlined defense against digital threats. By authorizing Armexa as a global service provider, Emerson aims to cut through the tangle of vendor contracts and inconsistent security policies that often leave factories exposed.

A History Written in Breaches

The threat is hardly theoretical. In 2021, a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline forced fuel shortages across the U.S. East Coast. Back in 2017, the NotPetya malware devastated shipping giant Maersk and countless manufacturers worldwide. Both incidents highlighted a chilling reality: industrial plants and their digital nervous systems are now top targets for cybercriminals and hostile states.

According to Dragos, a leading OT cybersecurity firm, the number of attacks targeting industrial environments doubled from 2020 to 2022. The stakes are high - disrupted operations, environmental disasters, and even risks to worker safety.

Security, Simplified and Standardized

The new alliance is more than a handshake; it’s a technical deep-dive. Armexa will offer DeltaV customers a menu of services, starting with basic, nonintrusive security assessments - think of it as a digital health checkup for a factory’s control systems. For deeper dives, Armexa uses frameworks like ISA/IEC 62443, the gold standard for industrial cybersecurity, to perform consequence-based risk assessments. Techniques such as CyberHAZOP (a safety-focused, systematic review) and CyberBowtie (a visual risk mapping tool) help operators see their vulnerabilities and defenses at a glance.

In addition, Armexa will deploy and maintain intrusion detection systems - akin to installing motion sensors and security cameras on the plant’s digital perimeter. For new construction or capital projects, Emerson and Armexa will design security into the blueprint, instead of bolting it on after the fact.

For customers, the promise is clear: a single provider, consistent standards, and faster, more coherent protection across sprawling, complex industrial sites.

Global Stakes and the Road Ahead

The Emerson-Armexa move is part of a broader market shift. As governments tighten critical infrastructure regulations - from the U.S. CISA directives to Europe’s NIS2 - companies are under mounting pressure to prove their defenses. The partnership positions both firms to tap into a fast-growing cybersecurity market estimated to reach $20 billion for industrial systems by 2028.

Yet, as attackers evolve and supply chains grow more interconnected, no alliance is a silver bullet. The race between defenders and intruders continues - on the factory floor, in refineries, and across the global grid. The new collaboration is a bold step, but the battle for industrial security is far from over.

WIKICROOK

• Operational Technology (OT): Operational Technology (OT) includes computer systems that control industrial equipment and processes, often making them more vulnerable than traditional IT systems.
• DeltaV Automation Platform: DeltaV Automation Platform is Emerson’s digital system for automating and controlling industrial processes, enhancing safety, efficiency, and reliability.
• Intrusion Detection System (IDS): An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitors network traffic for suspicious or malicious activity, alerting administrators to potential security threats.
• ISA/IEC 62443: ISA/IEC 62443 is a global standard offering guidelines to secure industrial automation and control systems against cybersecurity threats and attacks.
• CyberHAZOP: CyberHAZOP is a systematic process for identifying and analyzing cyber risks in industrial operations, adapted from methods used in physical safety analysis.