HONEYWELL SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH UAE MINISTRY OF CYBERSECURITY TO HELP SAFEGUARD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Cybersecurity to explore opportunities to cooperate in the information and communications technology (ICT) cybersecurity field.
Focus areas may include legislative and regulatory solutions, deterrence, prevention and responses to cyberattacks for related cyber fields, awareness-building and educational programs, along with scientific and technological research and development.
The MoU is intended to facilitate the exchange of best practices, knowledge and experience between the two parties, as well as establish programs to raise awareness and build local capacity in the field of cybersecurity.
The MoU was signed at the GITEX global technology show in Dubai by Mohammed Mohaisen, president and CEO, Honeywell Middle East and North Africa, and His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE Government. Honeywell becomes the first international industrial automation company to be invited by the UAE’s Cybersecurity Council to participate in a strategic cybersecurity MoU of this nature.
“The UAE is a leader in the fight against cybercrime. We remain committed to investing in the most advanced technologies and services available to help safeguard the country’s infrastructure from the growing range and capabilities of cyber-threats that exist today,” H.E. Dr. Al Kuwaiti said. “This MoU with Honeywell underscores this commitment, and we look forward to exploring new opportunities and synergies to advance our cybersecurity capabilities and competencies, and to extend our culture of cybersecurity awareness and excellence across sectors.”
Cyberattacks focused on OT systems can be a significant source of unplanned downtime, with estimates that such unplanned downtime represents over a trillion dollars in lost revenue for the industrial and critical infrastructure sectors.
“For more than two decades, Honeywell has built its position as one of the world’s leading providers of enterprise-wide OT cybersecurity solutions, with a portfolio across the entire OT cybersecurity lifecycle including real-time monitoring and threat detection, penetration testing and analysis and training solutions for virtually any sector,” added Honeywell’s Mohaisen. “We are honored to sign this MoU with the UAE Ministry of Cybersecurity, which reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the cybersecurity resilience and readiness of the UAE. As a trusted partner of the UAE for more than 60 years, Honeywell is proud to leverage its global experience and local capabilities to support the country’s role as a leading hub for digital innovation and transformation.”
Honeywell has established local cybersecurity capabilities in the UAE, including a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Lab in Dubai, which was inaugurated in 2018 as the first of its kind in the region. The center provides customers with access to advanced cybersecurity training, demonstration, testing, and product development facilities, as well as a team of certified cybersecurity professionals.
In May 2023, Honeywell announced the release of Honeywell Forge Cybersecurity+ | Cyber Insights, which is designed to assist customers in improving the availability, reliability and safety of their industrial control systems and operations. Cyber Insights is designed to integrate information from multiple OT data sources to provide customers with actionable insights into identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats, which assist with compliance strategy management and reduction of overall cybersecurity risks.
