Nexant, a provider of software and consulting solutions for global energy market, and Promia, a company that provides enterprise cyber security and asset monitoring products, today announced a partnership to complement each other’s competencies and provide a new range of products and services supporting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Electric Reliability Organization Critical Infrastructure Protection Standards for energy companies.

 

Nexant says its CIPS compliance solutions offer risk assessment, operational cyber monitoring and management, policy definition and monitoring, electronic perimeter identification and protection, security breach reporting, insider threat and sabotage alerting, and training related to cyber assets and activity.

 

The partnership between Nexant and Promia enables Nexant to offer end-to-end CIPS compliance solutions based on Promia Raven network appliances. Promia Raven tools identify all connected network devices and provide a three dimensional view of all monitored segments.

 

Promia Raven network appliances feature in-built tools to provide detection, validation and blocking response to internally and externally generated network and host computer intrusions. The devices are interconnected in a global grid allowing real-time and forensic views of network activity, the company said.

 

Raven tools are developed by automating and securing data and records necessary to meet FERC CIPS audit requirements. Raven tools enable audit personnel to document and maintain necessary compliance evidence and provide automatic updates to include operational cyber events as they occur on the network. The integrated “cookbook” of Raven tools facilitates self-compliance efforts of network managers and compliance professionals.

 

Promia information assurance and security management and Raven products are deployed globally by the U.S. Navy to protect key sections of the U.S. Department of Defense Global Information (News - Alert) Grid. In May, the U.S. Navy signed a new agreement with Promia to order more products and services as part of the ongoing 2008 global upgrade.

 

“This partnership represents major step forward in our strategy of expanding Nexant’s cutting-edge IT-based solutions for the energy sector,” said Hugh McDermott, Nexant senior vice president and CIPS program director. “We selected Promia because of its exceptional reputation within the U.S. military and because the security features that its products offer are un-matched in the energy industry.”

 

John Mullen, chief executive officer of Promia, said, “Nexant’s reputation for excellence in the energy industry and its preeminence as a provider of IT solutions for transmission systems is further complimented by its deep technology expertise and asset management offerings. We believe that our partnership provides a CIPS compliance offering that is unique in the power sector and immediately positions us an industry leader.”