Jane Edwards 
- Anthropic has launched an OT security initiative
- 11 companies have joined the program as founding partners
- The 2026 FedCiv Summit on Oct. 29 will explore AI, cybersecurity and more
Anthropic has launched the Critical Infrastructure Defense Program, or CIDP, to provide critical infrastructure security firms with its frontier artificial intelligence models, on-site engineering support and cyberthreat research.
As Anthropic extends its cyber defense work to the operational technology behind essential services, federal civilian agencies continue to examine how AI can strengthen security and modernize mission systems. Government and industry leaders will meet at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 FedCiv Summit on Oct. 29 to discuss AI adoption across government, cybersecurity, federal shared services, OneGov, AI-driven IT modernization and more. Save your seat now to hear from the leaders shaping federal civilian technology priorities.
Anthropic said Thursday the program is one of the first efforts under the Anthropic Cyber Mission, a new, long-term initiative through which the company plans to supply security teams with research, tools and other support. The mission’s initial work centers on critical infrastructure and open-source software.
What Is the Critical Infrastructure Defense Program?
CIDP is an Anthropic initiative designed to support the security firms that serve critical infrastructure operators in identifying and remediating vulnerabilities in operational technology, or OT, which includes the industrial controllers, software and networks that keep physical equipment running. According to the company, several partners are already using Claude to address vulnerabilities and assist their customers in doing the same.
Anthropic said it will first work with a small group of providers to determine which approaches are most effective and practical, then extend the program to additional partners and sectors over the coming months and publish its findings. Security vendors, integrators and equipment makers that serve critical infrastructure customers can submit an expression of interest to participate.
Who Are the Program’s Founding Members?
Anthropic has named 11 founding partners for the CIDP, spanning technology and consulting firms, cybersecurity companies, and industrial equipment manufacturers:
- Accenture
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- CrowdStrike
- Deloitte
- Dragos
- Hitachi
- Insane Cyber
- Nozomi Networks
- Palo Alto Networks
- PwC
- Rockwell Automation
In a blog post published Thursday, Booz Allen said it will contribute its OT engineering expertise and cyber defense capabilities to the program to help organizations counter artificial intelligence-driven threats while improving the resilience and performance of critical infrastructure.
The company pointed to its experience protecting commercial and government clients across all 16 critical infrastructure sectors, along with its OT Cybersecurity Lab, which replicates real-world OT environments and recently tested frontier large language models to examine how fast agentic cyberthreats can produce physical consequences.
Booz Allen added that it plans to pursue joint research with Anthropic and other CIDP members on practical measures to improve infrastructure preparedness and resilience.
What Is OSS Scanner?
OSS Scanner is a separate initiative under the Anthropic Cyber Mission, launched alongside CIDP to address security in open-source software. The free, opt-in service periodically scans enrolled open-source projects for security flaws using the company’s frontier models. Each report includes a proof of concept, an explanation of the issue and a suggested fix where available. Anthropic said the reports are sent without human review and that it expects a true-positive rate above 90 percent. The service is funded through the company’s Defender Advantage Fund, launched in August.
How Does CIDP Build on Anthropic’s Recent Cyber & Government Efforts?
The launch of CIDP comes days after Anthropic expanded its Cyber Verification Program, which folds Project Glasswing into a single program with Defense, Red Team and Specialized Access tiers. The Specialized Access tier is reserved for verified organizations authorized to test safety-critical systems such as power grids and telecom networks.
In late September, the company made Claude for Government generally available to federal and state agencies, moving the FedRAMP High-authorized platform out of a public beta that began in July. In July, Anthropic restored access to its Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 models after the U.S. lifted export controls on them.
