Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory has its acquisition of aeCyberSolutions, the industrial cybersecurity business of Applied Engineering Solutions (aeSolutions).
The deal will bolster Deloitte’s existing cybersecurity offerings with the aeCyberSolutions business’ well-tested frameworks, methodologies and technology-enabled tools for industrial control systems / operational technology (ICS/OT) security. The deal will also bring aeCyberSolutions’ professionals, who have deep experience in industrial sector standards development and risk advisory services.
aeSolutions’ remaining businesses – including its engineering business unit – were not part of the transaction.
“Cyberattacks on industrial controls systems for critical infrastructure are increasingly sophisticated and far-reaching, making cyber resilience and regulatory compliance more important than ever,” said Wendy Frank, Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory Cyber 5G and IoT leader and principal, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “As industrial organizations digitally transform to adopt more emerging technologies like 5G, the Internet of Things, machine learning and artificial intelligence, our acquisition of the aeCyberSolutions business helps us to offer leading-edge ICS/OT technologies and related advisory services.”
Deloitte offers cyber services and solutions across the majority of government/public sector and commercial industries, including industrial sector organizations such as those in oil and gas, chemicals and agricultural chemicals, industrial gases, pulp and paper, and manufacturing.
The addition of the aeCyberSolutions business marks Deloitte’s fifth cyber acquisition in 2021, demonstrating its commitment to aggressively expanding offerings and deepening capabilities that help clients address a broad range of cyber challenges. Earlier Deloitte cyber acquisitions this year included the assets of cyber threat hunting provider Root9B, LLC (R9B), cloud security posture management (CSPM) provider CloudQuest, Inc., digital risk protection company, Terbium Labs and Zero Trust network access (ZTNA) provider TransientX.
John Cusimano, vice president of industrial cybersecurity for aeSolutions and incoming Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory managing director, Deloitte & Touche LLP, added, “Since 2014, our cyber services and solutions have helped industrial sector organizations meet their most pressing ICS/OT cybersecurity needs by providing corporate and plant-level assessments, remediation recommendations, program frameworks, and training. Joining Deloitte will enable us to scale the depth and breadth of our services, increasing our ability to help clients build more trustworthy, resilient and secure environments.”