Jakarta, INTI - Critical infrastructure such as water treatment facilities, power grids, manufacturing plants, and transportation systems are becoming increasingly exposed to cyber threats.
At the same time, securing these environments is particularly challenging, as many of the devices in use are outdated or too sensitive to accommodate additional security software.
To address this issue, US-based cybersecurity and cloud company Akamai Technologies has introduced a new security solution designed to protect mission-critical systems without disrupting operational performance.
The solution integrates Akamai Guardicore Segmentation with the Nvidia BlueField Data Processing Unit (DPU). How does it work?
Legacy Systems Vulnerable to Modern Cyber Threats
Unlike office computers or personal laptops, systems used in power plants or factories fall under Operational Technology (OT).
OT refers to systems that control physical processes in the real world, such as production machinery, water pumps, or power turbines. Industrial Control Systems (ICS), a subset of OT, specifically manage and regulate industrial machines.
The challenge is that many OT and ICS devices were designed decades ago. They were built for durability and stability, not to withstand modern cyberattacks.
Typically, cybersecurity solutions rely on installing an “agent,” a small piece of software embedded directly into a device to monitor and block threats. However, in industrial environments, adding extra software can be risky.
It is comparable to placing additional strain on a production machine that must operate continuously 24/7. Any disruption could halt production or interrupt public services, rather than simply causing a minor system error.
Akamai and Nvidia address this challenge through an agentless approach, meaning no additional software is installed within the primary system.
Instead of embedding security inside the machine, protective functions are offloaded to a separate hardware component known as a DPU. This device acts as a “gatekeeper” positioned outside the core system.
With this architecture, data traffic can be monitored and filtered without burdening the main CPU responsible for production processes.
The approach also aligns with the Zero Trust security model, which assumes that no user or system within the network should be automatically trusted. Every access request must be verified.
In practical terms, Zero Trust can be likened to an office building with multiple rooms locked separately. If one room is breached, the others remain secure because access is restricted.
Within industrial environments, systems are segmented into distinct zones. If one machine becomes compromised, the threat does not automatically spread across the entire network.
Kevin Deierling said, “AI is fundamentally transforming the business world, and as automation scales massively, protecting corporate data and resources becomes critically important, but security must not come at the expense of uptime or system resilience.”
He added, “By integrating Akamai’s segmentation capabilities directly into Nvidia BlueField, organizations can implement Zero Trust at the infrastructure layer, ensuring that their most sensitive operations are protected without compromising system stability or production performance.”
Hardware Level Threat Detection and Isolation
According to Akamai and Nvidia, the solution can detect network anomalies and intrusion indicators in real time.
Because security processes are executed on a separate hardware layer, infected devices can be isolated directly at the hardware level. Even if the main system is breached, the spread of the attack can be contained.
Nvidia BlueField functions as an independent safeguard, often described as a “bump-in-the-wire” device, positioned between the system and the network to filter traffic.
Through this method, companies can maintain uptime and production performance without sacrificing security.
Ofer Wolf stated, “Whatever you operate, whether it is a water treatment facility or a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, your priority is to ensure the system continues running at maximum performance.”
He continued, “By offloading segmentation and observability functions to the DPU, we enable organizations to stop attacks instantly while maximizing CPU capacity to handle the heavy computational workloads it was originally designed for.”
Relevant Amid Rising Threats
The collaboration comes amid growing global concern over cybersecurity risks in the energy and transportation sectors, which are considered prime targets for cyberattacks.
Beyond technical protection, the approach is also expected to help companies comply with increasingly stringent security regulations and reduce risk profiles when applying for cyber insurance.
The integrated solution from Akamai and Nvidia is projected to be available globally in the second quarter of 2026.
Conclusion
As cyber threats increasingly target critical infrastructure, the partnership between Akamai Technologies and Nvidia highlights a new approach to industrial security, protecting essential systems without compromising uptime. By shifting security functions to hardware-level processing, organizations can strengthen resilience while maintaining operational performance.
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