Hypertherm Enhances Security and Efficiency with Rapid7 Solutions
Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Application Security
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries
- Cement
- Glass
Use Cases
- Additive Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Process Simulation
Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- Testing & Certification
About The Customer
Hypertherm is part of the Hypertherm Associates family, a 100% employee-owned company that provides industrial cutting technologies and solutions. The company's offerings include plasma, waterjet, software, and more, designed to help its customers succeed. Hypertherm operates in the manufacturing sector, providing solutions for a variety of applications, including shipyards, oil pipelines, and home hobbyists working on go-carts. The company prides itself on its consistency of purpose, drive to innovate, and passion for customer success, positioning it as a leader in the industrial cutting and shaping industry.
The Challenge
Hypertherm, a leading industrial cutting and shaping company, faced a significant challenge in maintaining the security and smooth operation of its diverse range of assets. These included operational technology, IoT devices, and Hypertherm's proprietary software. James Thompson, Information Security Manager at Hypertherm, was seeking a comprehensive solution that would provide visibility into the complex manufacturing sector, often referred to as the 'wild west' due to its lack of regulation. The company's environment was highly mobile, with many employees using laptops and a significant percentage of engineers using high-powered CAD workstations. Additionally, the company had to deal with old legacy machines running on outdated and difficult-to-secure systems. The challenge was further compounded by the constant movement of manufacturing cells around the organization, which often led to printers being moved to new IP ranges without Thompson's knowledge, causing potential disruptions to production.
The Solution
Hypertherm found its solution in Rapid7's InsightVM, a tool that was ideal for identifying, assessing, and remediating risk without the downtime associated with other tools. This solution allowed Hypertherm to create a dynamic blacklist, enabling the company to build out scanning schedules without the risk of knocking printers offline. The built-in dashboards of InsightVM allowed managers and executives to see live snapshots of the company's security status, enabling them to ask questions and understand the company's exposure to new vulnerabilities. The company also leveraged DHCP scanning to gain visibility into rogue devices connecting to the network. Hypertherm's partnership with Rapid7 also led to the adoption of InsightAppSec, Rapid7’s leading dynamic application security testing (DAST) solution. This tool empowered developers to test their products on the fly, making fast agile adjustments to improve their products and better understand the exposure at the edge.
Operational Impact
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