Private 4G/5G security startup OneLayer has signed a multi-year deal with US energy provider Evergy to manage and secure OT assets in its private cellular network, following collaborations with major network providers Nokia and Ericsson. Evergy, based in Kentucky in the US, has chosen the private network device management and zero-trust security platform OneLayer Bridge to manage OT and IoT devices in its new private LTE (4G) network.

Earlier this month, OneLayer announced that it had installed Finnish network provider Nokia’s core Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) system in its private network security lab. Curiously, there is no (readily accessible) indication in the company’s press materials or online coverage of where exactly the lab is located – whether it is physically located at its headquarters in Tel Aviv, in Israel, or in Boston in the US – that appears in the date lines of the press materials.

It could also be a virtual testing lab available to customers for testing on request. According to the report, it will “act as a digital twin to simulate certain threat scenarios.” The facility apparently opened in 2022 for security testing and research purposes. Third-party online reporting has listed Nokia, as well as Druid Software and Airspan Networks, as cooperation partners since at least March of this year. The new press release about Nokia could indicate closer cooperation.

OneLayer operates in the hot area of ​​cybersecurity in the private 5G sector and was recently listed twice in Gartner’s Hype Cycle reports (for automation in the communications industry and service provider operations). The company is also working with Ericsson, which is preparing for a major move in cybersecurity in the private 5G market by the second half of 2024. Ericsson hired OneLayer in February to secure a private LTE network at its Utilities Innovation Center in Texas.

Ericsson is also the author of Evergy’s private LTE setup. Evergy has completed its private LTE testing and is preparing a “comprehensive rollout for operational use.” Whatever; the point of this report and speculation is that the company is building business and relationships. Evergy uses the OneLayer Bridge product to secure IoT and OT devices in its office facilities and power grid in the US.

OneLayer expects to have “tens of thousands” of sensor devices in the “next few years” and expects “significant savings” in asset management, operations and network administration. In a statement, it said: “OneLayer provides end-to-end zero-trust security that seamlessly extends Evergy’s existing security frameworks, established segmentation standards and regulatory requirements to the private LTE space.”

It continues: “OneLayer Bridge’s OT/IoT asset discovery and tracking, geofencing, and anomaly detection and mitigation capabilities significantly reduce Evergy’s attack surface and enable rapid remediation of any potential issues… OneLayer’s asset management capabilities increase operational efficiency by automating device integration, provisioning, profiling, classification, and activation.

“OneLayer enables delegation of onboarding steps to different teams, allowing Evergy to effectively scale its network by creating autonomy for different teams… Visibility and tracking of all devices connected to the network – even non-cellular devices connected via cellular routers – enables Evergy to evaluate performance and availability, perform vendor comparisons at scale, and dynamically adjust service quality to different devices or situations.”

JJ Stutler, manager of wireless engineering and operations at Evergy, said, “We needed a way to manage the growing number of OT devices using our private LTE network. We needed automation and delegation of different device deployment steps to different teams, as well as complete visibility into all devices… OneLayer did all that and also provided operational and security frameworks for our private LTE networks and connected devices.”

Dave Mor, CEO of OneLayer, highlighted the company’s relationship with OneLayer. He said, “Our strong relationships with private LTE vendors such as Ericsson and CPE providers ensure continued support for improved products and enhanced features. This approach will enable Evergy to not only capitalize on existing efficiencies but also be prepared for evolving challenges and opportunities in the private LTE landscape.”