Voith Digital Solutions North America has announced that Jens Puhlmann, its industrial control systems security manager, recently earned the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (GCIP) certification, which demonstrates his advanced knowledge in information protection, cybersecurity, incident reporting, response plans, system security management and security controls.
Puhlmann is just one of 23 professionals in North America to have earned this certification from the GIAC. With this certification and his 20 years of experience in Industrial Control Systems design, Puhlmann showcases Voith Digital Solutions’ continuing drive to be a leader in Industrial Internet of Things cybersecurity.
Key aspects of Puhlmann’s broad GCIP certification process were network security, documentation, security awareness training as well as the evaluation and categorization of power plants regarding their impact on the national grid infrastructure, among other requirements.
“CIP compliance is integral to our customers’ business plans — without compliance, they face penalties and fines. Staying compliant, however, is difficult due to changing standards, and doing so is always on their minds. This is why obtaining the GCIP certification was vital. It gives them assurance in my ability to offer them the compliance answers they need,” Puhlmann said.
The compliance requirements, known as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP), offer standards aimed at protecting the facilities that add power to electrical grid, and compliance is monitored by NERC. In its role, NERC scrutinizes facility security from all angles and has updated its standards repeatedly since 2006 as the IIoT and Industry 4.0 bring more changes to energy production.
NERC CIP provides a checklist of safeguards to which every electric-generating facility must adhere. Staying ahead of NERC CIP updates can be difficult for most plant operators, which is why so many turn to Voith Digital Solutions for compliance consultation. With Puhlmann’s GCIP certification, Voith customers have a central contact as they work to stay in compliance.
“Jens’ certification is important and a great step for Voith Digital Solutions North America. It helps our customers understand they can rely on us. We provide the system security know-how and support they need,” said Michael Rhodes, Vice President of Sales, Voith Digital Solutions North America.
Voith Digital Solutions bundles Voith’s long standing automation and IT expertise with the know-how in the fields of water power, paper machines and drive engineering. This new Group Division works with new and existing customers to develop innovative products and services by driving IIoT innovations and decisively shaping the digitalization process in the field of machine and plant engineering.
