As we continuously develop in an increasingly digitalized world, the security risks for Operational Technology (OT) systems are steadily increasing. Research by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) indicates that operational systems are increasingly becoming the target of attacks.
These attacks mainly occur in industrial environments that operate within two separate but essential domains: information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT). The separation of IT and OT can complicate the security of industrial systems, creating gaps in security and providing attackers with opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities in one domain to gain access to the other. Additionally, cybercriminals have shifted their focus to operational technology (OT) systems due to their growing connectivity to the internet. This has led to an increase in cyberattacks on industrial systems, making it necessary to adopt an integrated and more holistic approach to cybersecurity. At the same time, cybercriminals are increasingly using advanced attack methods, such as Artificial Intelligence, to target both IT and OT systems.
Merging IT and OT is necessary
Fortunately, many organizations are opting for a security approach that combines IT and OT. The convergence of IT and OT has become essential for securing industrial environments for various reasons. By merging IT and OT, organizations can coordinate and strengthen their security measures, making them better equipped to defend against advanced threats. Organizations can best achieve this by focusing on three areas: asset protection, data projection, and availability prediction.
The convergence of IT and OT enables more efficient and effective responses to cyber threats (asset protection). By integrating IT and OT systems, organizations can collaborate better and share information, resulting in faster detection, response, and recovery from cyberattacks. This reduces the impact of incidents and minimizes the downtime of operational systems, ensuring operational continuity.
This convergence of IT and OT also leads to an abundance of new data generated by the integration of these two domains. Therefore, organizations need in-depth insights to secure both domains effectively (data projection). Automated monitoring that detects changes and deviations in approved configurations is essential. The ability to signal authorized or unauthorized access is crucial for successfully implementing Zero Trust programs, particularly for legacy endpoints in the production environment.
Moreover, the data can also be used to predict the availability of operational systems (availability prediction) and plan maintenance, essential for ensuring the reliability and performance of business-critical assets. Organizations can thus identify their future capacity needs, predict potential bottlenecks, and develop strategies to minimize operational downtime.
From IT and OT security to data innovation
In short, the merging of IT and OT not only offers better security for operational technology but also opens the door to innovation through data. By utilizing advanced security solutions based on data analysis and machine learning technologies, organizations can detect anomalies and potential threats in their OT systems before they can cause damage. This enables them to respond quickly and take appropriate measures to minimize the impact of attacks. Additionally, data can provide valuable insights for the overall operations of organizations, making them more flexible, resilient, and agile in dealing with changing business needs, technological developments, and market conditions, thus gaining a competitive advantage and driving their growth.
