Byres Security Acquired by Belden: Message from the Founders

Today is a big news day for Byres Security Inc. (BSI), as we are announcing that our company has been acquired by Belden Inc.

We (Joann Byres and Eric Byres) are writing this article to let you know what the future has in store for us, and for our company.

What will stay the same? Byres Security Inc. will run as an independent business unit under Belden, and the Tofino Security brand will remain the same. BSI will continue: Developing technology for robust industrial control system security Helping companies adopt industrial security solutions Advocating for a higher level of industrial cyber security within organizations Contributing to the development of industrial cyber security standards

We will carry on leading Byres Security, with Joann as General Manager and VP and Eric as CTO and VP Engineering, and we are committed to developing the business for many years.  Our experienced BSI team remains intact.

Existing Tofino Security product lines will be actively developed, sold and supported. Red and blue Tofino Security Appliances are going to continue to appear in factories and plants around the world, only in more shapes and sizes.

Our partners, who have been key to our success, will continue to remain very important to us.  We look forward to continuing to work with MTL Instruments, Honeywell, Invensys and all of our Tofino Certified VARs and SIs.

What will change?

Belden’s acquisition of BSI has launched a new world of opportunity for Tofino Security technology and the BSI team.  A principal reason for us doing this deal is that it provides us with the support we need to realize the market potential of Tofino Security. Some of the things that will change are:

• Investment in R&D and product development will increase
• Tofino Security technology will be incorporated into Belden’s industrial networking and automation products, including embedded products (“Security by Tofino”)
• The BSI product line will be expanded to include a wider range of hardware platforms

Why Belden?

We have been working with the Hirschmann group in Belden for about two years.   We have a strong working relationship with them, and we have completed technology integration projects with them.

Belden is already using Tofino Security technology in its Eagle line of security products, and we use Belden’s Hirschmann hardware in many of our Tofino Security products.

Thus there is good synergy between the companies’ technologies and capabilities, and we believe that bringing us together will result in leadership in both industrial networking and industrial security.

Thank You Stuxnet

A recent Pike Research report states: “Industrial Control System (ICS) Security, including SCADA security, was ignored by most... until recently - Stuxnet changed all that.  Nearly overnight, ICS security went from a non-issue to being critical.” The positive side of Stuxnet is that awareness and action about ICS and SCADA Security has increased dramatically since it was discovered. Now, as part of Belden, we look forward to making our vision of robust security tailored for industrial requirements a reality in many, many sites around the world.

Joann Byres and Eric Byres

Next week: back to our usual blog articles

(Editor's Note: effective Jan 1, 2012 Byres Security Inc. is doing business as Tofino Security.)

Related Links

• Byres Security Joins Belden (FAQ)

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