Siemens releases cyber solution for energy supply resilience

Energy tech major Siemens Smart Infrastructure has released its Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service, aiming to enable enhanced cybersecurity for critical infrastructures.

Siemens says its MDR service strengthens cyber resilience for energy suppliers and operators of energy-intensive industries and critical infrastructures like data centres and airports. 

As information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) continue to converge, Siemens says in a release, companies are being challenged to manage a growing flood of security alerts. They also often lack the required staffing with the appropriate expertise and round-the-clock availability. 

This is where the company pitches its MDR, which aims to address this gap and helps companies operate their increasingly digitalised systems securely, in compliance with NIS 2 EU-wide legislation concerning cybersecurity and from a single source of trust. 

According to Siemens, Hertener Stadtwerke, a municipal utility in Germany has already deployed the solution to safeguard its operational systems.

Commenting in a release was Stefan Burkert, Head of Communications Technology at Hertener Stadtwerke:

“The requirements for cybersecurity, especially for critical infrastructures like ours, are constantly increasing. 

“The MDR service from Siemens is a crucial building block for us to meet these requirements and protect our critical infrastructure. It helps us comply with regulations and gives us peace of mind knowing that our systems are monitored by experts at all times. It allows us to focus on ensuring a reliable energy supply.”

Have you read:
Vulcan Energy taps Siemens for Lionheart's digitalisation
Siemens expands AI data centre play with partnership trio

According to Siemens, the MDR service provides 24/7 protection through monitoring, analysis of potential incidents, and recommendations for action. 

The company says this enables up to 90% faster defense against cyber threats. The process begins with collecting security-related data from the customer’s IT and OT systems, which is securely transmitted to the Security Operations Center (SOC). 

The core task is alarm assessment and incident handling. Incoming events are analysed, classified, and prioritised from false alarms to critical incidents. Based on this, the customer receives specific recommendations for mitigation and resolution. To ensure smart and proactive threat detection, the detection rules are continuously maintained, expanded, and adapted to new threat landscapes.

Said Stephan May, CEO of Electrification and Automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure: “Today, energy security is inextricably linked to cybersecurity. This is precisely where we offer our customers crucial support. 

“Our MDR service combines technology with the expertise of our OT specialists. This allows operators of critical infrastructure to focus on their core business while we protect their systems from cyberattacks. This is the only way we can securely advance the digital transformation and help accelerate the energy transition.” 

Siemens’ announcement follows the release of a survey by Black & Veatch, finding that operational technology cybersecurity is still introduced too late in most industrial capital projects, increasing long term risk and cost.

The study, Secure by Design, was conducted to examine how cybersecurity is integrated into industrial capital projects, with emphasis on design, build and commissioning stages.

Industries represented include industrial manufacturing, oil and gas, chemical processing and refining, power utilities, gas utilities, water/wastewater utilities and other critical infrastructure sectors.

According to the survey, 72% of respondents said cybersecurity enters industrial capital projects late or not at all, despite respondents agreeing that early cybersecurity reduces risk: 78% linked early cybersecurity adoption to reduced downtime and operational disruption across connected OT systems and networks.