KANSAS CITY, Missouri — A partnership announced today between 1898 & Co., a preeminent industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity solutions provider, and Idaho National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory, will allow 1898 & Co. to apply the patent-pending consequence-driven, cyber-informed engineering (CCE) discipline developed and pioneered by the laboratory, and supported by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response in the Department of Energy, to protect the most critical aspects of utilities (power and water); oil, gas and chemicals; pipelines; defense industrial base (federal/military/defense); transportation (aviation and rail); ports and maritime; and manufacturing companies, providing a level of resiliency uncommonly found in today’s environments.

“While there are no guarantees when it comes to critical infrastructure cybersecurity, 1898 & Co. clients who implement CCE for their most critical assets will have additional safeguards in the form of engineering changes and process improvements that limit the damage an attacker can do once inside,” says Matt Morris, managing director for 1898 & Co. “At the end of the day, CCE’s ability to temper the size and scale of cyber sabotage provides a level of certainty CISOs and boards sorely need.” 

Increasingly, digitalization is a permanent aspect of today’s operations, and cybersecurity is the linchpin to a safe and secure transition. The benefits and return on investment demonstrated by digitalization efforts are real and deliver shareholder, customer, and environmental value, if such efforts are performed with cyber vigilance. But most of the time, the shift toward digitalization outpaces the cyber resilience required to effectively manage risks to the business. Consequently, critical infrastructure cybersecurity specialists are stretched in multiple directions and don’t want to be perceived as holding back the business. The increased scope and coverage requirements, coupled with a host of new vulnerabilities, provide ample opportunity for adversaries to take advantage.

“Consequence-driven, cyber-informed engineering enhances risk assessment for cybersecurity by combining first-principles thinking with engineering ingenuity,” said INL Associate Laboratory Director Zach Tudor. “It’s a concept we have developed and improved over the last decade in engagements with major utilities and defense establishments, and we are excited to partner with Burns & McDonnell and 1898 & Co. to offer it to more organizations.” 

In the last 12 months, the SolarWinds attack and Oldsmar water facility hack, and the Colonial Pipeline and JBS Foods ransomware attacks have impacted both private companies, as well as the broader the U.S. economy. 

“1898 & Co. plans to scale the CCE discipline to critical infrastructure asset owners globally,” says Morris. “A common theme with the majority of the CISOs I am connecting with is that they are desperately searching for a level of certainty when conversing with their respective boards regarding risk to the business. Prior to the development of CCE, the best answer we had was to implement a series of controls and to maintain those on a frequent basis.”

1898 & Co. and INL are focused on expanding CCE across the global ICS cybersecurity community, with INL focusing primarily on the public sector and 1898 & Co. on the private sector, as well as support in the public sector as needed. As a part of Burns & McDonnell, 1898 & Co. can draw upon the capabilities of a 7,600-person engineering firm to truly scale the discipline into the private sector when asset owners, CISOs and boards need it most.

About 1898 & Co.

1898 & Co. is a business, technology and cybersecurity consulting firm serving the industries that keep our world in motion. As part of Burns & McDonnell, our consultants leverage global experience in critical infrastructure assets to innovate practical solutions grounded in your operational realities. For more information, visit 1898andCo.com.

About Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

INL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory that performs work in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and environment. INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development. Day-to-day management and operation of the laboratory is the responsibility of Battelle Energy Alliance. More information can be found at www.inl.gov.