Honeywell Aerospace Settles with U.S. Department of Justice for $2 Million over Cybersecurity Allegations
Honeywell Aerospace has agreed to a $2.04 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to resolve allegations that it violated cybersecurity requirements under a contract with the Department of Defense (DOD). The case, which spans from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2023, involves an IT unit within Honeywell International accused of submitting false claims for payment by failing to meet DOD's cybersecurity assessment standards. A whistleblower lawsuit filed in March 2022 under the False Claims Act led to this resolution. The settlement includes a $375,823 reward for Rachel Tenney, the former Honeywell employee who initiated the case. The allegations stem from an IT unit known as Advanced Connected Sustainability Technologies (ACST), which was later moved into Honeywell Aerospace during its spin-off in June 2026. According to court documents, Honeywell allegedly failed to report a cybersecurity incident on what it called the 'Gray Network,' despite using SolarWinds' Orion software that had been compromised by malware. Honeywell denies wrongdoing and states the settlement was made without admission of guilt. The company emphasizes its commitment to maintaining robust cybersecurity practices in compliance with all regulations.
Topics: cybersecurity government_contracting whistleblower_lawsuit