What is OT security?

While in IT security we focus on protecting data, in OT security the focus is on protecting physical equipment. Think about power plants, critical infrastructures or manufacturing systems.

With the increasing convergence of IT and OT systems (e.g. internet connected sensors or machinery), the vulnerabilities of OT environments have become more apparent and concerning. That is because in these convereged networks, an intruder is able to move more easily from the IT to the OT side of the network, thus bridging the gap which used to completely airgap these environments. More concerning is the fact that cyber attacks on OT systems can lead to severe consequences, including operational disruptions, physical damage, and even risks to human safety. Therefore, understanding and implementing OT security measures is vital for organizations that rely on these systems.

“By 2027, 75% of security teams will have on-boarded at least five tools to manage cyber-physical systems (CPS) security in operational, production or mission-critical environments, which is a major increase compared with one or two they might use today.” – Gartner’s 2023 Market Guide for Operational Technology Security.

Different components of OT environments

Industrial control systems (ICS) encompass a wide range of equipment, systems and networks that manage various industrial processes, forming the backbone of operational technology (OT). The most prevalent ICS are supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, which gather data from sensors and relay it to a central computer for management and control. Another common type is distributed control systems (DCS), which oversee local controllers or devices within a specific location. When all stitched together, these types of systems are sometimes also called cyber–physical systems (CPS).

OT vs. IT security

While both IT and OT security aim to protect systems from cyber threats, they differ in their focus and approach.

Objectives: IT security focuses on protecting data and ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. OT security, on the other hand, prioritizes the safety and reliability of physical processes and equipment.

Systems: IT systems include servers, computers, and networks that manage data. OT systems include industrial control systems (ICS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that manage physical processes and often rely on non-standard protocols.

Threats: IT security threats often involve data breaches and malware that can steal or corrupt information. OT security threats can lead to physical damage, operational disruptions, and safety hazards.

Approach: IT security relies heavily on software-based solutions like firewalls and antivirus programs. OT systems on the other hand, do not support installing such security software or cannot handle dirupted communications when network traffic is getting blocked. On top of that, OT security often requires a combination of physical and digital security measures to protect complex industrial environments.

As you notice, the nature of CPS is intrinsically different compared to our generic computer networks. Building an effective security roadmap for such an environment thus often requires solutions which are specifically build for this purpose. Luckily, this “roadmap”, which often starts with a focus on creating visibility in what you want to secure, is not so different from the one we use for IT environments. It just requires some more specialized tools.

Why OT security is non negotiable

Operational technology is integral to processes that, if compromised, could lead to outages of essential services and even loss of life. Emergency services, nuclear power plants, traffic management systems, and other critical infrastructures rely on OT solutions to function properly. Even OT systems outside of critical infrastructure, such as those in food production facilities, can face severe consequences if attacked—hackers could manipulate safety checks, resulting in the distribution of unsafe food.

Traditionally, cyber criminals were focused on stealing data. But now, they are increasingly targeting OT networks due to their potential for widespread disruption and the often inadequate security measures in place, developing more sophisticated and destructive methods aimed specifically at OT environments.

As the digital and physical worlds become increasingly intertwined, the importance of OT security cannot be overstated. Taking into account that most cyber-physical systems will also need to apply the same regulations NIS2 is imposing on data networks, organizations better start recognizing the unique challenges of protecting their OT environments and invest in appropriate security measures.