NextNine

NextNine provides specialized software for operational technology (OT) security, safeguarding industrial control systems (ICS) and critical infrastructure. Its core product offers comprehensive protection for complex, multi-vendor industrial sites from cyber threats, including secure remote monitoring and centralized oversight. The company delivers tailored security solutions where traditional IT approaches fall short for operational demands.

Eldad Maniv founded NextNine in 1998. The pivotal insight recognized the distinct need for dedicated cybersecurity for industrial systems, separate from conventional IT. This addressed unique vulnerabilities and operational demands of critical infrastructure, establishing NextNine as an early innovator in industrial cybersecurity.

NextNine’s offerings serve industrial organizations across various sectors, enhancing the resilience and integrity of their operational systems. Its vision empowers these enterprises to confidently leverage advanced industrial technologies through robust, tailored security frameworks, ensuring continuous and secure global infrastructure operations.

High-Level Overview

NextNine was a cybersecurity company specializing in top-down OT (Operational Technology) security management solutions for complex, multi-vendor, multi-site Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA environments.[2][3][4] Its flagship product, ICS Shield, enabled industrial organizations in sectors like oil and gas, utilities, chemicals, mining, and manufacturing to secure remote assets, automate policy enforcement, and integrate OT/IT operations while minimizing vulnerabilities.[3][4][5][6] Acquired by Honeywell in 2017, NextNine's technology strengthened Honeywell's industrial cybersecurity offerings, including asset discovery, secure remote access, patching, anomaly detection, and compliance management, deployed across ~6,000 plants and 1,000 enterprises globally.[3][4]

The company served critical infrastructure operators facing rising cyber threats to connected ICS, solving problems like fragmented security governance, remote access risks, and compliance burdens through centralized control from a single security operations center.[2][3][4]

Origin Story

Founded in 1998, NextNine emerged as a pioneer in industrial cybersecurity, focusing on protecting OT and SCADA systems in high-stakes environments.[3] Key details on founders are not specified in available sources, but the company quickly established itself as a leader by developing ICS Shield, a field-proven solution for multi-site asset protection.[3][6] A pivotal moment came in 2017 when Honeywell acquired NextNine to bolster its cybersecurity portfolio, integrating it into the Industrial Cyber Security group for enhanced multi-vendor support and managed services.[3][6] Post-acquisition, NextNine continued under Honeywell, maintaining customer support and driving technology advancements amid growing ICS cyber threats.[3][8]

Core Differentiators

NextNine stood out in industrial cybersecurity through these key strengths:

• Comprehensive OT/SCADA protection: Automated asset discovery (e.g., DCS, RTUs, PLCs), secure remote access with granular controls, anti-virus/patching, backup/restore, and anomaly detection—all via a central Security Center and on-premise Virtual Security Engines.[4]
• Centralized, scalable management: Top-down enforcement of plant-wide policies for multi-vendor, multi-site environments, reducing OT/IT resource needs and enabling secure tunnels for headquarters-to-facility communications.[2][3][4]
• Global partnerships and scale: Collaborations with giants like Cisco, Yokogawa, Rockwell, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, and others; deployed in 6,000+ plants worldwide, delivering cost savings through semi-automated security.[4]
• Proven integration post-acquisition: Enhanced Honeywell tools like Risk Manager and ATIX for inventory, compliance, monitoring, and secure file transfer.[3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

NextNine rode the convergence of OT and IT amid Industry 4.0, where connected ICS/SCADA systems in critical infrastructure faced escalating cyber risks from remote operations and multi-vendor complexity.[3][4][7] Its timing was ideal in the mid-2010s, as industrial cyber attacks surged (e.g., on utilities and manufacturing), driving demand for specialized solutions beyond traditional IT security.[6][7] Market forces like regulatory compliance (e.g., cybersecurity standards for ICS) and the need for reliable remote monitoring favored NextNine, influencing the ecosystem by setting benchmarks for integrated OT security and enabling safer digital transformation.[3][4] Honeywell's acquisition amplified this, embedding NextNine's tech into broader managed security services for global industrials.[3][6][8]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-2017 acquisition, NextNine's ICS Shield lives on within Honeywell's cybersecurity portfolio, likely evolving with AI-driven threat detection and expanded IoT/5G integrations for ICS.[3][6] Rising geopolitical tensions and ransomware targeting critical infrastructure will propel demand for such solutions, positioning Honeywell/NextNine to capture share in a market projected to grow amid digitalization. Its influence may expand through deeper vendor partnerships and standards contributions, solidifying a legacy in securing the industrial backbone against tomorrow's threats—echoing its origins in empowering efficient, resilient operations.[3][4][6]