Solana awarded Government of Canada contract to develop SCADA cyber security Test bed and conduct vulnerability assessment studies

Nov 1, 2011

Solana Networks is excited that it has been awarded a contract by Public Safety Canada to develop a SCADA cyber security Test bed and conduct security evaluation and vulnerability assessment studies on the test bed. Working with their sub-contracted partners, Byres Security, Bell Canada and Exida Canada, Solana Networks will develop and deliver the test bed to Public Safety’s CCIRC (Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre) group. The project will also develop a best practices manual for securing SCADA IT networks from cyber security threats and will develop security exercises (red and blue team) on the test bed.

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems) are IT-based systems used to control industrial processes in a variety of critical infrastructure including power, nuclear, water, and oil & gas. When the security of such systems is compromised, malicious attackers can gain control over Canadian critical infrastructure or cause destruction/damage to the equipment and its surroundings. This project will advance Canada’s cyber security posture in the area of SCADA systems increasing its ability to deal with emergent threats in the cyber security landscape. A range of SCADA cyber security technologies will be included in the test bed which will model industrial processes in the oil & gas as well as power industries.

This project is conducted as part of the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP) of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). Public Safety CCIRC is charged with protection of national critical infrastructure against cyber incidents including SCADA security attacks.

Solana Networks Inc is a network monitoring and cyber security specialist with strong experience setting up test beds, conducting security and network architecture analysis, assessment and evaluation. Byres Security Inc is one of Canada's leading firms in the area of SCADA research and was one of the first companies in the world to produce a report on the Stuxnet worm. Exida is a consulting firm with experience assessing/developing security solutions for clients in the oil and gas, electrical, and energy sectors. Bell Canada’s cyber security group has long standing experience providing security solutions for the Government of Canada.