The Plug-N-Play Appliance for Resilient Response of Operational Technologies (PARROT), developed by Idaho National Laboratory, provides an extra layer of security from cyberattacks on critical infrastructure operations. When placed between control systems and infrastructure, PARROT isolates a cyberattack, provides a manual or automated response, and prevents harmful impacts while maintaining operations.

Most critical infrastructure in the U.S. is protected by perimeter security that, once bypassed, leaves operational technologies like generators, turbines and boilers vulnerable to cyberattacks. These types of attacks on industrial control systems are increasingly common.

PARROT gives operators of legacy systems and devices the ability to upgrade security without replacing older yet still-functional legacy equipment. PARROT further allows operators to target the protection of especially vulnerable or valuable equipment or systems. PARROT’s flexibility also allows operators to protect disbursed equipment such as wind turbines that may be difficult to secure against a physical attack.

In the future, industry vendors would integrate PARROT into field control device/operational technology designs.