Streamlining unification: the impact of IT-OT integration on industrial security fortification
In the rapidly evolving landscape of industrial operations, a recent report from ABI Research and Palo Alto Networks has revealed a concerning statistic: over 76% of organizations in this sector have fallen victim to cyber-attacks. This underscores the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures in industrial operations.
Despite the growing awareness, organizations continue to grapple with the implementation of these measures. The threat landscape expands as bad actors become more sophisticated, leveraging newer technologies like 5G and the cloud to expand the attack surface.
To address this challenge, the long-term goal is for Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) security to be seamlessly integrated and managed by the same solutions. This integration, however, is hindered by a lack of alignment between IT and OT teams, with the majority of OT attacks originating from the IT environment.
Recognizing this, cybersecurity has become a top priority for most industrial operators, especially with new federal regulations around critical infrastructure. To effectively counter threats, IT brings appropriate solutions, while OT experts understand the limitations and constraints of OT assets.
To improve coordination and integration, it's crucial to build cross-functional teams that include IT, OT, engineering, and safety experts. This collaboration can be fostered through joint training, shared objectives, and aligned incident response protocols. Establishing a strategic convergence blueprint tailored to the organization’s goals helps guide this integration process effectively.
Key approaches include creating unified Security Operations Centers (SOC) that monitor both IT and OT environments, providing centralized visibility, real-time threat detection, and coordinated response capabilities without disrupting industrial operations. Network segmentation and access controls, such as firewalls, Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), multi-factor authentication, and role-based restrictions, are also essential to contain threats and limit lateral movement between IT and OT systems.
Deploying OT-aware monitoring tools and integrating them with enterprise Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR), and SOC platforms enhances the detection and management of OT-specific threats and vulnerabilities. Prioritizing vulnerabilities based on risk to critical processes is another crucial step, aligning cybersecurity efforts with operational safety and availability objectives.
Harmonizing cybersecurity with operational and maintenance activities using financial risk quantification dashboards translates cyber risks into operational and business impact terms, facilitating informed decision-making by plant managers and executives. Adopting industry standards such as ISA/IEC 62443 establishes baseline security practices aligned with regulatory and audit requirements.
Together, these practices encourage seamless cooperation, shared responsibility, continuous monitoring, and proactive risk management, fostering a secure converged IT-OT environment that supports industrial resilience and safety.
Most industrial operators today understand the importance of cybersecurity for OT environments, but 72% of attacks against this area originate from the IT environment, necessitating a collaborative effort between the two teams. Improving cybersecurity for industrial operations requires bridging the gap between OT and IT. The consolidated approach must also include streamlining security tools and finding solutions that can address all aspects of the OT environment.
Organizations plan to consolidate IT and OT solutions from the same cybersecurity vendor (70%), recognizing the need for a unified approach. However, not all vendors offer both IT and OT security solutions, and organizations need to ensure they're choosing an option that can provide both without compromise.
In a worrying statistic, a quarter of these organizations reported having to shut down their operations at least once in the past year due to a successful attack. Determining who is in charge of OT security is critical, with only 40% of survey respondents saying that responsibility is shared between OT and IT, and 28% saying that OT influences but it's ultimately IT that decides.
The challenge of stronger cybersecurity in OT requires a cooperative approach that breaks down traditional silos between IT and OT. By adopting these practices and fostering collaboration, industrial organizations can build a more secure and resilient operational environment.
Given the increasing cyber-attacks targeting industrial organizations, there is an urgent need for aligned cybersecurity measures between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) environments. To better protect the OT assets, it is crucial to build cross-functional teams that integrate IT, OT, engineering, and safety experts, ensuring a seamless convergence of cybersecurity and operational activities. This can be achieved through joint training, shared objectives, and aligned incident response protocols, as well as the deployment of OT-aware monitoring tools and the consolidation of IT and OT solutions from the same cybersecurity vendor.
