Dragos has announced the acquisition of Phosphorus, a move that bolsters its cybersecurity solutions for operational technology (OT) environments by integrating protection for the vast array of connected devices found in critical infrastructure.
This merger is set to enhance the Dragos Platform's capabilities, safeguarding the multitude of connected devices embedded within the extended operational technology (xOT) environment. This realm encompasses both traditional and novel OT systems, thus demanding heightened visibility and control to thwart potential adversaries.
Strategic acquisition for enhanced security
As part of its ongoing strategy, Dragos's purchase of Phosphorus is intended to fortify the security across the entire operational landscape as it stands today. This enhancement aims to provide comprehensive device visibility, facilitate automated remediation, and ensure continuous risk reduction. The expanded Dragos Platform will address the gap in cybersecurity visibility across these devices, which are pivotal within critical infrastructures.
Robert M. Lee, the CEO and Co-Founder of Dragos, emphasised the importance of the acquisition by stating, “The connected devices you find everywhere in critical infrastructure are largely invisible to the cybersecurity programs that protect operational environments. With Phosphorus, we close that gap and secure xOT, the full environment that matters.”
Integration of Phosphorus into Dragos
Phosphorus excels in automating remediation processes such as rotating passwords
Phosphorus, renowned for its comprehensive discovery and remediation platform for connected devices, will enhance Dragos's offerings by integrating seamlessly with existing infrastructures. This integration will not necessitate disruptive architectural changes, offering deep visibility into devices within OT and enterprise environments. Phosphorus excels in automating remediation processes such as rotating passwords, updating firmware, managing certificates, and hardening configurations, which will help organisations achieve compliance and manage risk effectively over large scales.
Phosphorus's President and COO, Sonu Shankar, highlighted the potential of the partnership with Dragos by observing, "We built Phosphorus to solve the connected device problem—the unmanaged devices, the default credentials, the firmware no one was updating. Together with Dragos, we can solve it with a depth and scale that wasn't possible before. That's what the next generation of OT cybersecurity looks like."
Future developments and market potential
Customers of Dragos are set to benefit from improved asset visibility and integrated device intelligence in the short term, with further development of automated remediation workflows and a unified platform experience projected. Meanwhile, Phosphorus's clientele will maintain full support, gaining expanded access to Dragos's range of services as integration proceeds. Sonu Shankar will continue to lead Phosphorus within Dragos, ensuring a smooth transition and sustained leadership in cybersecurity.
The acquisition is anticipated to open a market opportunity exceeding $50 billion for Dragos. This strategic development follows Dragos's previous acquisition of Network Perception, which enriched its platform with advanced OT network visibility and compliance capabilities. While Network Perception focuses on securing network architecture, Phosphorus extends this protection to the devices operating within those networks.
