IRONCLAD

WHY IRONCLAD?

The Challenge

Critical infrastructure today suffers from both antiquated infrastructure and enormous vulnerabilities caused by information and operational technology. Over the past decade and more, critical infrastructure, in particular electric utilities, have been grasping with how to provide a secure, effective and efficient operational and administrative infrastructure, while continuing to operate an infrastructure that is old, patch worked and linked via new technology that provides some advancement yet introduces potential vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities can be and are being used by malicious actors as well as inadvertently by workers. 


These issues have been highlighted numerous times by governments, cybersecurity professionals, utilities and even users of the electric grid. Increased visibility into these issues has led to an increase in regulatory action and identification of best practices. However, they have not been successful to date as seen by some of the following reports: 


“Widespread disruption of electric service because of a transmission failure initiated by a cyber-attack at various points of entry could undermine U.S. lifeline networks, critical defense infrastructure, and much of the economy; it could also endanger the health and safety of millions of citizens.” – Department of Energy

(…)

Ironclad, The Solution

Ironclad™ delivers the world’s only security-centric, fully integrated, and hyper-converged Private Cloud Infrastructure built on an Air Gap and Zero-Trust model designed specifically for companies hosting Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Critical Infrastructure.


Presently running live at a major northeast utility, the Ironclad® design integrates cyber and physical security by combining people, technology, and processes under a single, fully integrated NextGen iSOC model functioning over a Hyper-V infrastructure hosting IT/OT systems and resources on separate sets of highly efficient hardware. 


The Ironclad™ design is a purpose-built fully integrated “Data Center” assembled using Lean/Classic manufacturing assembly lines techniques. It is manufactured and delivered to the Utilities’ designated critical sites where the infrastructure is “plug and play”. Ironclad® provides the following capabilities™

  • Fully Integrated Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Capabilities.
  • Government and Private Sector (Energy/Utilities) Real-time Physical and Cyber Security Threat Hunting Collaboration.
  • Automated Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC).
  • NERC-CIP Compliance (with automated evidence collection and reporting).
  • Over 600 NIST 800-53/82 Security Controls with Policies and Procedures.
  • Convergence of both Physical and Cyber Security Operations Under a Single iSOC®.
  • Intranet Portal using a .NET Platform, for Compliance and Corporate Administration (GRC Portal, My *Secure Domain Portal).
  • Service Catalog – Standardization of System and Hardware.
  • Fully integrated Smart Grid (AMI) Ready Solutions.
  • Expansion Ready with per site integration (Layer- 1-7 – e.g. OTN-DWDM – NOKIA, CIENA, JUNIPER or CISCO) and inter-connectivity overlays for on-boarding/migrating new tenants.
  • Substation Automation including Information Processing Facility Ready for Upgrade/Migration of (critical sites and/or applications) onto the Secure Domain.
  • SCADA Ready Infrastructure Solutions (GE– Advanced Energy Management Platform – EMS Ready).
  • Capability Maturity Model Roadmap (Post Phase-1).
  • System Orchestration, including Onsite Training on the new Platform and CAPEX to O&M Conversion Roadmap.

OUR MISSION

The 5th Element Group is committed to creating worldwide cybersecurity sustainability through a revolutionizing Global Cybersecurity Sustainability Index and Credits Program to promote cybersecurity awareness, compliance, and data protection by creating economic and social synergies between large corporations and minority-owned businesses, non-profits, and public benefit corporations across the following impact areas:

OUR VISION

Vision: Our vision is to create a robust and enduring Global Cybersecurity Sustainability Index Platform that promotes cybersecurity talent development, awareness, and technical improvements across small businesses, communities, and municipalities to protect data and critical infrastructure through a sustainability credits swaps market; thus, indexing like-mind companies contributing to sustainable cybersecurity initiatives.
  • Link Protection
  • Path Protection
  • Self-Healing and Restoration
  • Network Integrity
  • Virtual Topology
  • DEFINE LONG-TERM CAPEX COST:

a)  Utilities can Capitalize the Convergence of NERC-CIP 013 Program Implementation with the “Common Criteria, NIST Best Practices, and IEC/ISO 27001” so that the Energy Sector can comply with the Presidential Executive Order: “Securing the United States Bulk-Power System”

b)  We can help with Program Capitalization Case or can save Utilities Millions of Dollars to their existing CAPEX programs that currently do not yield OT/IT operational results.

c)  Ironclad comes with a RFP Package Ready for Procurement Departments or Public Utility Commission (PUC) Review: Saving 12-24 months in Procurement Labor.