There is so much that successful organizational security entails. You need to secure your devices, systems, and infrastructure to ensure online safety. The best way to do this is by implementing operational technology and other processes that will improve your security.
You need a little background on what happens in the cybersecurity world to be able to secure your network fully. For instance, you need to know what OT cybersecurity is and its role in protecting critical infrastructure. This is what this article will explore in deeper detail.
Read on for all you should know about it.
Understanding OT Cybersecurity: Why It Matters
It will be a good idea to start by defining exactly what we mean by “operational security.” This will provide a good foundation to help you understand what OT security solutions can do for you. Ultimately, you can decide if investing in your business’s OT is a good idea.
So, what is OT cybersecurity for organizations?
Operational technology uses a wide range of hardware and software solutions to secure an organization. OT security solutions can help you monitor physical devices, processes and infrastructure. This is to secure them from potential cyber threats.
Various industries leverage operational technology solutions. Examples include oil and gas, maritime, manufacturing, electricity generation, and many more industries. These solutions help businesses monitor their critical infrastructure and simplify how they control robots.
There are different components of operational technology. However, the main one is ICS, which is Industrial Control Systems in full. ICS cybersecurity entails the use of different systems and devices to control processes. ICS cybersecurity is often a data-driven process.
Systems like supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and distributed control systems (DCS) can help with ICS cybersecurity. However, working with these systems might not be as easy as it seems. That’s why you should hire ICS protective services.
It is worth noting that OT cybersecurity is no longer negotiable. It is something that every organization must focus on today. This is why you need to invest in OT cybersecurity solutions if you haven’t already. Otherwise, outages affecting critical services might be so costly.
For instance, an outage in emergency response systems caused by a breach can lead to the loss of lives. Or a breach affecting traffic management systems or water treatment plants can also be fatal. An investment in OT cybersecurity is therefore very vital to every firm.
Critical Infrastructure Facing A Growing Threat
We have mentioned that an investment in OT cybersecurity isn’t negotiable. Well, the reason for this is because of the ever-expanding threat landscape. Every piece of critical infrastructure has become vulnerable to threats. It has become vital to protect gateways to this infrastructure.
Criminals are not only devising new ways to compromise systems in organizations. They are also expanding their illicit operations into other industries. Thus, no sector is now safe from cyber threats. You can get attacked for data or even for reasons like business competition.
Another reason critical infrastructure is at risk is because of remote work. This working model is making it tricky for organizations to secure OT infrastructure. There are a few solutions that you can implement to improve the security of your OT infrastructure. Main thing to consider is to create security awareness training within your company, but there are many other aspects also. This is a reason why you must implement a smart warehouse organization system like Modula lift so you can lower security risks while reaping the benefit of automation.
They include:
- Using firewalls
- Updating your systems regularly
- Using complex passwords for protection
- Implementing access controls
- Running cybersecurity training and awareness programs
These are some of the solutions that, if implemented, can help keep OT solutions in good shape. If your OT systems work well, controlling and monitoring your critical infrastructure will be effortless. You’ll implement work-from-home policies without worrying.
How to Secure Your Critical Infrastructure and OT
Although you have a hint of what OT cybersecurity does, it still isn’t enough to guarantee your security. You need to learn more about how you can use OT solutions to secure the systems you have in place. There are many steps that will help ensure that you do this effortlessly.
One thing you must do is come up with an OT cybersecurity strategy. This one will guide the efforts you intend to put in place to secure your network. You need to include things like network visibility in this strategy. It will help you know your potential threats.
Also, you must ensure that you have control measures to help you recover from attacks. These measures can help reduce the impact attacks have on your business. They will make detecting and neutralizing suspicious behavior easier before it affects your firm.
Working With OT Security Vendors
We have mentioned the need to have experts by your side when securing your critical infrastructure. Some of the solutions we have explored in this post aren’t easy to implement unless you have an expert to help. This is why it is vital to work with OT security vendors.
There are many vendors out there offering OT security solutions. You need to identify those that offer solutions that best fit your needs. This includes when looking for vendors who offer ICS protective services. Working with the right team will help ensure good results.
You will need to ensure that the OT security solutions a company offers fit your firm’s current and existing solutions. It will be easy to protect your solutions if you can invest in cyber solutions that integrate well with what you have. In the end, it will be easy to ensure safety.
Conclusion
Operational technology is key to strengthening any organization’s cybersecurity. However, it can be tricky to maximize OT security solutions unless you understand OT in detail. This is what this article has delved into to help you know how you can get started with OT security.
It will now be easy to start using OT security solutions in your business. Consider hiring an expert to help you get through this process. A company that offers ICS protective services and OT industry solutions will be a great partner to add to your organization.