Columbia-based Tenable inks partnership deal with Siemens

Tenable, a Columbia-based cybersecurity company, announced on Tuesday a strategic partnership with Siemens to develop programs that will protect increasingly vulnerable critical infrastructure, such as oil refineries and energy grids.

Through the partnership, the companies are launching Tenable’s “Industrial Security,” which Germany-based Siemens will offer to its energy, oil and utility company clients.

The deal expands Tenable’s reach into a large — and growing — market. While they accounted for a relatively small number of cyberattacks years ago, such systems are now the target of about a third of attacks, said Tenable’s chief financial officer Steve Vintz.

To date, the company has focused on software that continually monitors large data networks for vulnerabilities and threats. Adidas, BMW, MasterCard and Microsoft are among Tenable’s clients.

“We’ve been strong in helping companies secure networks,” Vintz said. “Now we’re doing that in a much broader way.”

The partnership opens a new client base to Tenable while pairing it with a partner with a strong hold in the market.

Siemens, a global engineering and technology company, is a leading provider of the technology systems used to monitor and manage critical infrastructure.

Tenable has been growing steadily since raising $250 million in 2015. The company has expanded to new international offices and has a staff of over 1,000 people in 20 offices worldwide.