Phoenix Contact partners with Xona for zero-trust, OT-access control on switches

Phoenix Contact USA has partnered with Xona Systems, which provides secure-access solutions for critical infrastructures and operational technology (OT) environments. They report their partnership combines industrial networking and OT cybersecurity to achieve zero-trust remote access that addresses the unique requirements of industrial control system (ICS)/OT environments. For example, interoperability between the Xona’s management platform and Phoenix Contact’s EP Raptor switches will enable secure access by internal, remote, authorized third-party users, while minimizing rack space, power consumption and cabling.

"We’re excited to welcome Xona into our growing ecosystem of cybersecurity partners,” says Patrick McCurdy, automation VP at Phoenix Contact USA. “Xona’s Gateway (CSG) running on our EP Raptor switches will add zero-trust user access to Layer 2/Layer 3 networking capabilities for critical OT infrastructures."

McCurdy adds that remote and mobile operations capacity in hybrid OT landscapes is increasingly critical for maintaining resilience, maximizing efficiency, and achieving organizational outcomes. However, as IT and OT systems converge, many users and organizations are left exposed to cybersecurity risks that traditional IT security solutions can’t overcome. Consequently, they need OT-specific integrated platforms to protect critical infrastructure from cyber-threats.

Phoenix Contact already provides its IEC 61850- and IEEE 1613-compliant industrial Ethernet switches for energy, transportation and other critical-infrastructure industries. This new partnership enhances its multi-service hardware by integrating Xona's zero-trust user access layer to Phoenix Contact’s products, including integrated closed-loop multi-factor authentication (MFA), browser-based virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), moderated secure file transfer, system connection segmentation and monitoring, protocol isolation, and deep user access forensics—all delivered by one solution.

"Simple remote access, without network connectivity, empowers OT remote operations while eliminating threats associated with insecure user endpoints," explains Xona CEO Bill Moore, CE at Xona. "As ransomware and other cybersecurity threats increase in scope, frequency and severity, it's critical that companies fortify their remote and mobile operations to account for shifting threat landscapes. We're excited to partner with Phoenix Contact to deliver those necessary capabilities."