Mich. University Offers Cyber Evaluations

Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. has teamed up with the Federal government and industry to offer small and medium-sized companies in the state free assessments of their cybersecurity readiness.

The university’s new cybersecurity center launched in June, in partnership with Automation Alley and a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response.

One of the center’s first initiatives is its Cybersecurity Research Project, which offers companies the opportunity to get a better understanding of their vulnerability to cyberattacks. Michigan businesses can take a 40-question survey called the SensCy Score assessment that provides participants with a one-page report free of charge.

The 30-minute assessment process is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity framework.

It takes the responses from the questions and analyzes more than 100 data points to provide a trackable measurement of an organization’s cyberhealth. The SensCy Score is on a 1,000-point scale and companies should strive for a score higher than 800, Automation Alley said in a press release.

Factors that may affect the score include cybersecurity policies, cyber awareness, and ability to detect and respond to cyber incidents.

“As small and medium-sized manufacturers face unprecedented cybersecurity risks, it’s essential for these companies to be aware of their cyberhealth score and ways to potentially lower their risk,” said Tom Kelly, executive director and CEO of Automation Alley. “This evaluation will help companies understand the risk to their brand, people and supply chain posed by cyberattacks and help identify ways to improve cybersecurity policies and practices.”

Those who participate will receive a one-page summary of their organization’s evaluation, which includes the score and applicable recommendations to increase the score.

Companies interested in participating can schedule their meeting by filling out the form on Automation Alley’s website. The evaluation is provided at no cost to the participants, with no preparation required.

“SensCy is proud to take part in this initiative and offer manufacturers the opportunity to take the first step toward advancing cybersecurity and safeguarding digital operations in their industry,” said Rick Snyder, SensCy CEO. “I encourage all Michigan manufacturers to sign up to participate by filling out the signup form on Automation Alley’s website.”

Oakland University’s new Cybersecurity Center team focuses on research and development and insights to reduce the risk of power disruption from a cyber-incident for energy delivery systems, as well as education that enables cybersecurity by design in the energy sector.