Darktrace, a global leader in cyber security AI, today announced that one of the UK’s leading port groups has selected Darktrace’s AI to protect its IT and OT environment in a million-dollar-deal.

The company, which employs over a thousand people and handles tens of millions of tonnes of cargo annually, facilitates the importing and exporting of vital goods across multiple ports in the UK. Given its critical role in the smooth running of the country’s supply chain, the organization turned to Darktrace AI to ensure its IT and OT are protected against a fast-moving threat landscape. It has adopted Darktrace’s Enterprise Immune System and Darktrace Antigena to not only provide the organization with complete visibility of its enterprise but to take rapid, precise action to contain in-progress attacks, enforcing normal so that events can run smoothly and operations can continue without disruption.

90% of globally traded goods are carried by maritime transport, which has become a target for attackers looking to disrupt critical national infrastructure. Additionally, ports rely on complex infrastructure which combines machinery and operational technology with communications and IT systems, thus widening the number of potential entry points for adversaries to exploit. While converged IT/OT environments have historically been notoriously difficult to protect, organizations are increasingly drawing on the ability of AI to learn the ‘pattern of life’ for everything in the cyber-physical system so that it can identify even subtle indications of an emerging attack.

“We are really pleased to be protecting an organization so central to the UK economy,” said Poppy Gustafsson OBE, CEO of Darktrace. “Cyber-physical attacks seeking to disrupt the supply of food, water and gas are rising and organizations are assessing how best to protect the critical infrastructure that we all rely on. AI can defend a business at every layer and take targeted action to stop threats in any environment before spiraling into a potentially devastating situation.”