Accenture, Dragos and SANS Launch $10M Initiative to Help Secure Small US Utilities

Oct 21, 2026 · Original article ↗

Summary

Accenture, Dragos and SANS launched a roughly $10 million initiative offering up to 500 eligible US utilities free OT security tools, equipment, deployment support and staff training.

Key points

The Community Cyber Resilience Foundation targets US water, wastewater, electric and natural gas utilities with annual revenue below $100 million.
Its first phase will support up to 500 utilities with free security tools, deployment help, equipment and training.
Participants will receive the Dragos Platform; Accenture will handle setup, integration and ongoing support.
SANS will train utility staff in ICS/OT security, while the foundation will fund hardware and connect participants through a peer network.
The companies estimate the eligibility threshold covers more than 50,000 organizations, or over 97% of US utilities.
The announcement cites limited funding, workforce shortages and aging technology as challenges for small utilities, and references attacks on more than 100 US water systems.

Article Details

Event Type: Launch of a public-private initiative to improve cybersecurity for small US utilities.
Impact: The Community Cyber Resilience Foundation is starting with roughly $10 million in funding and services. Its first phase will support up to 500 qualifying water, wastewater, electric, and natural gas utilities with free security tools, equipment, deployment assistance, and training. The initiative aims to address resource constraints and protect operational technology environments.