Manufacturing Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MFG-ISAC) Partners With MISI DreamPort to Advance the Security of the Manufacturing Sector

The Manufacturing Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MFG-ISAC) has partnered with MISI DreamPort to help defend U.S. manufacturers from malicious cyberactivity, and advance the offerings and capabilities of the MFG-ISAC as a hub for intelligence exchange, warning and recovery.

“The work of MISI DreamPort and MFG-ISAC is well aligned to develop best practices and share information for security advancement in the sector,” said Mark Orsi, CEO and President of MFG-ISAC parent company Global Resilience Federation. “Manufacturers, both large and small, need supports to help them mature their cybersecurity for IT, IoT, and ICS systems. Our partnership brings a breadth and depth of support to manufacturing that does not exist elsewhere, and builds cyber resilience into the supply chain across many industries.”

DreamPort is an innovation center designed to accelerate the technology and cyber mission of stakeholders that include the Department of Defense, the industrial base, and industry at large. The DreamPort mission is to discover new capabilities that solve stakeholder gaps in cybersecurity and related technologies through rapid prototyping, performance viability and integration of technologies. The organization also operates MindScape, another mission innovation and technology accelerator that houses more sensitive innovation efforts for the intelligence community and other customers.

“As tensions mount with great powers around the world we need to be sure that U.S. manufacturing companies and their OT systems are aware of and prepared for the threats they face today and may well encounter in the future,” said Armando Seay, co-founder and CISO at MISI DreamPort. “We’re pleased to be working with MFG-ISAC and its members to help ensure that reality.”

Through a collaboration portal for vetted security practitioners, MFG-ISAC member companies exchange threat data from phishing attacks, malware signatures, IoT vulnerabilities, risks to Operational Technology or other hazards. Additionally, MFG-ISAC staff pull relevant alerts from government, private security vendors and open sources to send to the community, and augment or enrich material from member submissions. The community acts as a hub for discussion and advice, alerts, reports and other material. An attack on one member provides early warning or cautionary education to the rest of the group that can then leverage the expertise of peers, and swap experiences against similar threats.

“Security challenges in the sector are unique in that they’re complex but also, in many respects, impacting technology that is sprinting to catch up to the rest of the world,” added Orsi. “This puts manufacturing and other users of Operational Technology in a delicate position that demands cybersecurity engagement during this modernization. MFG-ISAC is trying to help provide that.”

About MFG-ISAC

Manufacturing Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MFG-ISAC) is a nonprofit cybersecurity threat awareness and mitigation community for small, medium and enterprise-level manufacturers in the United States. The MFG-ISAC team uses open source and proprietary intelligence to warn member companies of incoming cyberthreats and provides suggested tools and methods for prevention, remediation or recovery. Within the community, member companies can also share their own indicators and observables, best practices or advice on dealing with the many challenges the sector faces from malicious cyber activity. With the support and guidance of CyManII, MFG-ISAC was launched by Global Resilience Federation, a creator and operator of ISACs in multiple sectors. Visit www.mfgisac.org for more information or follow @MFG_ISAC on Twitter or Manufacturing ISAC on LinkedIn. The MFG-ISAC sharing portal is provided by Cyware and has been customized with input from experienced ISAC analysts. Media inquiries may be directed to Patrick McGlone at pmcglone@grf.org.

About MISI DreamPort

MISI DreamPort is a 501(c)4 Not for Profit dedicated to the study, test, evaluation, rapid prototyping and community of interest outreach to industry, academia, K-12, and State and Local and Federal Government. Our work accelerates the confidence needed to make investments in cybersecurity solutions, companies and helps organizations discover cybersecurity and related technologies that align with current and future requirements. DreamPort recently launched the A24 entrepreneurship accelerator and flex workspace at its DreamPort headquarters in Columbia, Maryland. Visit https://misi.tech/.