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Cyber-physical systems (CPS) protection company Claroty announced a partnership with Carahsoft Technology to expand Claroty’s footprint across government... The post Claroty and Carahsoft accelerate adoption of CPS protection across federal, state and local agencies appeared first on Industrial Cyber.
Analysis Summary
# Industry News: Claroty and Carahsoft Partner to Secure Public Sector Critical Infrastructure
## Summary
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) protection leader Claroty has announced a strategic partnership with Carahsoft Technology Corp. to serve as its primary public sector distributor. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of OT/CPS security solutions across U.S. federal, state, and local government agencies by leveraging Carahsoft’s extensive contract vehicles and reseller network.
## Key Details
- **Date:** May 13, 2026
- **Companies Involved:** Claroty (CPS Protection Specialist) and Carahsoft Technology Corp. (The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider)
- **Category:** Distribution Partnership / Public Sector Expansion
## The Story
The partnership addresses a critical gap in national security: the vulnerability of physical infrastructure managed by government entities. As agencies modernize, the "air gap" between IT and operational technology (OT) has vanished, leaving water systems, power grids, and transportation networks exposed to sophisticated cyber threats.
Under this agreement, Claroty’s CPS protection platform will be accessible via Carahsoft’s National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) ValuePoint contract and other federal purchasing vehicles. This move is timed to assist agencies struggling with compliance (such as CMMC) and visibility; a 2025 study cited in the announcement revealed that while 100% of federal agencies have launched CPS initiatives, only 36% have achieved full asset visibility.
## Business Impact
### For the Companies Involved
- **Claroty:** Gains immediate access to established federal and SLED (State, Local, and Education) procurement channels, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for government contracts.
- **Carahsoft:** Strengthens its cybersecurity portfolio with a specialized leader in industrial and cyber-physical security, a high-growth niche compared to traditional IT security.
### For Competitors
- **Competitive Pressure:** Direct competitors like Nozomi Networks (which recently launched on Google Cloud Marketplace) and Dragos will face increased pressure as Claroty secures a "preferred" status within the Carahsoft ecosystem—the dominant force in government IT procurement.
### For Customers
- **Simplified Procurement:** Government IT and OT managers can bypass complex bidding processes by using Carahsoft’s pre-negotiated contracts.
- **Operational Efficiency:** Access to tools that automate manual asset discovery and consolidate redundant security legacy tools.
### For the Market
- **Standardization:** This partnership signals a shift toward treating CPS security as a standard requirement for government digital transformation, rather than a niche "add-on."
## Technical Implications
The Claroty platform focuses on **Zero Trust enforcement** and **impact-centric exposure remediation**. Specifically, it addresses the technical debt of legacy OT systems by providing deep packet inspection (DPI) and vulnerability mapping without disrupting sensitive physical processes. It also facilitates **CMMC compliance**, a critical technical hurdle for any entity within the defense industrial base.
## Strategic Analysis
- **Market Positioning:** Claroty is positioning itself as the "defacto standard" for government operational resilience. By aligning with Carahsoft, they are prioritizing "ease of acquisition" as a strategic moat.
- **Competitive Advantage:** The integration into the NASPO ValuePoint contract provides a direct leg-up in state and local markets, which are often harder to penetrate than federal agencies due to fragmented purchasing power.
- **Challenges:** The primary risk remains the "in-house expertise gap." Despite having the tools, many agencies report a 60% shortage in staffing to manage these specialized CPS platforms.
## Industry Reactions
- **Analyst Sentiment:** Analysts view this as a necessary step for Claroty to scale. In the public sector, "having the best tech" is often secondary to "being on the right contract vehicle."
- **Market Response:** The industry views this as a response to the increasing regulatory mandates (such as CISA’s focus on Shields Up) requiring more granular control over water and energy sector assets.
## Future Outlook
- **Predictions:** Expect a surge in Claroty deployments within the "Department of War" (DoW) and civilian agencies managing critical utilities over the next 18 months.
- **Watch For:** Look for similar distribution moves by competitors and potential acquisitions of smaller OT security startups by larger IT firms looking to fill the CPS gap before the 2027 fiscal year.
## For Security Professionals
Practitioners in the public sector should view this as an opportunity to secure funding for OT security projects under existing procurement umbrellas. The focus should shift from "finding assets" to "remediation of exposure," as these tools will likely become standard-issue for meeting new federal cybersecurity mandates. Professionals should also leverage the platform's automation features to offset the reported talent shortage in industrial cybersecurity.