Key Buying Factors In Selecting Security Vendors

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Electric utility companies select their ICS vendors and security solutions vendors carefully. They examine the histories of vendors to get a sense of what kind of research they have done in the past and they also consider the country that the products are originating from and the implications of that. Of course, long-standing relationships and bonds of trust are important in the energy sector. It’s unlikely that a large utility would engage in a direct sale with a small startup that’s delivering something potentially disruptive. In most cases, a startup would need to go through a channel partner such as a security company or an ICS vendor in order to have the endorsement and the credibility those channels can provide.

Many companies are concerned with meeting NERC standards and compliance criteria. Some would argue that the ultimate focus needs to be on security, believing that the by-product of good russia phone number example security is good compliance. Again and again, compliance wins out because of the high-cost of achieving security. Vendor-supplied security products need to work well within various control systems, integrate with legacy products and operations, and be cost-effective and competitive.



Despite the hurdles, there is room for start-ups and innovators. The market is not presently secure and it is looking for workable solutions wherever they may come from. New systems are coming all the time. Energy companies are looking for vendors who have the system capability to protect them and to respond to them quickly. They want vendors that provide viable solutions that can be readily updated as situations change.