Waterfall Security Helps to Secure Israel's Natural Gas Transmission System

Waterfall Security Solutions has installed a Remote Screen View system at Israel Natural Gas Lines Ltd.'s operational site in Israel.

The product provides a secure way to send screen captures (video of the display screen from computers or control room) to external networks, if the facility needs remote assistance and/or technical support from vendors.

Israel was among the world's five most vulnerable countries to cyber warfare against critical systems, McAfee (News - Alert) Inc. said in its Virtual Criminology Report 2009 . The four others were the United States, Russia, China and France.

'There have been increasing reports of cyber attacks and network infiltrations that appear to be linked to nation-states and political goals,' McAfee said. The worries can prompt threatened nations, like Israel, to prepare defensive and offensive cyber weapons. McAfee said that the private sector is at even greater risk.

INGL is the builder and operator of Israel's gas transmission system.

"IGNL's production networks are, naturally highly sensitive, given that they manage nationwide pipelines and other critical infrastructures related to natural gas transmission," said Lior Frenkel, co-founder and CEO of Waterfall Security Solutions.

"In today's risk and threat environment, it is no longer possible to allow connectivity to external networks or to the Internet using ordinary IT security products and technologies," he added. "Existing software-based security does not provide adequate protection to enable remote viewing or remote assistance by suppliers or vendors. Modern cyber security risks and the overall reliability requirements have driven both the operators and owners of critical Infrastructures and the relevant regulators to an understanding that IT security does not provide adequate security resilience."

Gil Kashani, chief information technology officer at INGL, said that for them the Waterfall Remote Screen View system solves both an operational and business problem.

"On the one hand, we do not allow the connection of our operational networks to the Internet," Kashani said. "On the other hand, vendors and service providers are required to provide us with efficient and rapid service. Some of these vendors are located abroad and thus onsite support is not even an option. Using Waterfall RSV, we can now allow the riskless capability of viewing relevant screens and displays, by remotely located technicians, and support specialists."

Frenkel says that Cyber terror is a growing concern, especially when dealing with critical Infrastructures. In recent years, Cyber-terror and cyber-vandalism are the new emerging threats of SCADA networks, and Critical National Infrastructures. These threats, powered by global terror and cyber-crime, are here to stay, thus SCADA users should adopt new mind-sets and implement modern methods, technology and solutions to mitigate and eliminate the potential damages, Frenkel said.

Waterfall has been used in power plants, nuclear power plants, pipelines, and refineries - many of which are located in North America.