Stratasys Ltd., a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, today announced that the company has introduced a new data security solution to enhance the cybersecurity of additive manufacturing as its role in government and defense applications grows larger and more mission-critical.
The new ProtectAM™ solution is the first in additive manufacturing to use Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform. This platform is preferred by the U.S. government to help deliver continuous information processing security in accordance with requirements contained in the applicable Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) issued by the Defense Information System Agency (DISA) of the U.S. Department of Defense.
The ProtectAM solution will initially be available for several industrial and large-format Stratasys FDM® 3D printers, which are frequently used by government customers to produce end-use parts and tools for applications such as aviation and ground maintenance applications. It is available for Fortus® 450mc™ printers effective Oct. 1 and is expected to be available for F900® 3D printers by the end of the year. Stratasys F370™ and F770™ 3D printers are expected to be added in Q1 2022, with printers that use other Stratasys technologies beyond FDM to follow. In the future, Stratasys expects to extend ProtectAM’s cybersecurity benefits to industry segments beyond government.
“The benefits of 3D printing are clear, including getting critical products wherever they are needed, with maximum speed and minimal cost, all while extending the lifespan of existing assets to save taxpayer dollars,” said Dick Anderson, Senior Vice President for Manufacturing at Stratasys. “Furthermore, the integrity of parts printed from digital files is absolutely essential, and we have established the ProtectAM solution to be a world-class security solution to continue the adoption of additive manufacturing by government agencies, and ultimately to commercial segments as well.”
Stratasys developed its data information security solution to comply with the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency’s Security Technical Implementation Guide for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The STIG outlines several hundred security controls to protect against cybersecurity threats.
“Software security is a front-and-center challenge for nearly every government agency, and a need that Red Hat helps to address through our extensive work in certifying the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform to meet stringent public security requirements,” said David Egts, Chief Technologist, North America Public Sector, Red Hat. “Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides a platform that assists users in meeting the rigorous software security needs for sensitive computing without sacrificing flexibility, scalability or innovation. We’re pleased to be able to provide this as a foundation for Stratasys as they work to innovate industrial 3D printing and additive manufacturing in the public sector.”
The release of Stratasys’ ProtectAM system opens Stratasys systems to new applications within the government that extend well beyond R&D settings. For example, adherence to STIG security controls enables the U.S. military to more readily deliver a geographically distributed enterprise network of 3D printers across and even beyond U.S. military bases. Furthermore, Stratasys’ technology is built on the FIPS and Common Criteria government-certified foundation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, so mission-critical digital files can be sent wherever they are needed faster and parts can be quickly 3D printed locally.
Existing Stratasys printers are field upgradable with regular software security updates from Stratasys.
