Avtec Scout System Designated Compliant with NERC-CIP and NIST 800-53 Standards

LEXINGTON, S.C., May 01, 2018 -- Avtec Inc., the leading independent provider of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) dispatch console systems, announced today that its Scout™ console system has been designated as compliant with requirements of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) plan and the security controls of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53.

To achieve compliance, both Avtec and its Scout software system underwent a rigorous assessment process to ensure adherence to operational security standards. Contego Cyber Solutions, a federally approved and independent testing organization and a division of Quantech Services Inc., evaluated Avtec’s corporate security policies and procedures as well as performed vulnerability and compliance scans on the Scout system based on Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and Nessus scans. On Feb. 3, 2018, Quantech completed the full evaluation and compliance report of the Avtec Scout information system security controls in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 8510.01 and DoDI 8500.2, NIST 800-53, NIST 800-53a, and NERC-CIP requirements for a Low Impact Bulk Electric System (BES) System.

“This milestone is significant because it offers yet another level of assurance and commitment to our clients in the regulated energy sector,” said John Locatelli, who heads up Avtec’s product management department. “We know cybersecurity threats aimed at the safety and reliability of the U.S. power grid are a top concern of utility executives. Achieving NERC-CIP and NIST compliance is a natural extension of Avtec’s nearly four decades of proven experience in providing secure and reliable mission-critical communication solutions for many of the world’s largest organizations.”

Compliance with NERC-CIP and NIST 800-53 standards is especially important in the energy sector, where cybersecurity has come under increasing scrutiny by both companies and regulators. The March 15 U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team Technical Alert (TA18-074A), based on an analysis conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, is simply one in an ongoing series of well-documented cyber threats affecting the safety and reliability of the energy, government, and critical manufacturing sectors. In response, utilities have aggressively assessed and reworked procedures and protocols to address the increasing complexity and number of cybersecurity risks. As part of this effort, many utilities are now treating mission-critical electronic control center communications systems—such as Avtec’s Scout system—as protected cyberassets, establishing the same reliability standards already in place for bulk power transmission equipment, systems, and facilities.

Avtec Inc.
Avtec Inc. provides pure Internet Protocol (IP) voice dispatch console solutions for the energy, transportation, public safety, business and industry, and government markets. Since 1979, clients have chosen Avtec’s award-winning technology for their mission-critical dispatch centers. There are thousands of Scout VoIP consoles installed worldwide. Visit www.avtecinc.com/energy to learn more. 

Media Contact: Tiffany Rushton                                                         
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