Honeywell Adds Deception Tech to Building Automation Systems Security

Building technologies giant Honeywell now offers deception technology as part of a new cybersecurity platform for OT systems in commercial buildings.

Honeywell's new offering - Honeywell Threat Defense Platform (HTDP) - is based on Acalvio Technologies' autonomous deception technology, which provides a proactive security approach designed to confuse and lure attackers to decoy assets in order to protect actual data and assets.

HTPD directs attackers toward phony assets that appear to be actual OT and IT devices to deflect threats. The new deception-based platform is offered either as an on-premise product or as a cloud-based service. 

Honeywell Ventures is an investor in Acalvio Technologies, and HTPD is an expansion of that relationship, according to Honeywell.

"The quantity and complexity of cyberattacks unfortunately are increasing every day, reinforcing the need for building owners and operators to rigorously monitor, maintain and protect their OT environments," said Mirel Sehic, global director of cybersecurity at Honeywell Building Technologies, in a statement. "Incorporating Acalvio's autonomous deception technology into our OT cybersecurity toolbelt provides a highly effective solution to help protect our customers’ buildings from increasingly sophisticated attacks."

Building automation systems are an often-forgotten attack vector that straddles the physical security and cybersecurity worlds. Building hacks thus far have been rare, but there have been a few recent incidents of note.

Read more about Honeywell's new OT security offering.