Operational Technology controls physical processes, so cyber risks can disrupt safety, reliability, and availability across connected industrial systems.
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Operational technology (OT) comprises hardware and software that monitor and control physical processes—such as PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, SCADA, and DCS—in manufacturing, utilities, transport, and buildings. Its assets include controllers, sensors, actuators, engineering workstations, and the networks linking them. OT depends on precise timing, reliable communications, and safe states; outages or incorrect commands can stop production or affect physical safety, even when little sensitive data is involved.
Security concerns arise where OT connects to enterprise networks, vendor remote-access paths, or internet-facing services. Legacy protocols and long-lived devices may lack authentication, encryption, logging, or practical patching options. A compromise could alter setpoints, inhibit alarms, or disrupt availability, but impact depends on process design and safeguards. Defenders typically segment control networks, restrict and monitor remote access, maintain asset and dependency inventories, use passive monitoring where active scanning is risky, and test recovery and safe manual operation. Vulnerability management must account for maintenance windows, vendor support, and safety validation rather than treating every patch like IT.
OT Security 'a Generation Behind Traditional IT'For those charged with the cyber defense of OT and industrial control systems, one challenge towers above all others: Data. Specifically, its scarcity. Most operators simply don't capture it, in stark contrast with their IT counterparts.
OTsec India Steering Committee Discuss Cyberthreats, Compliance and InnovationFeaturing some of the most prominent voices in Indian operational technology cybersecurity, the steering committee for the inaugural OTsec India Summit shares insights on a range of topics including OT threats, regulatory imperatives and the latest innovations.
Global Conflicts and Tariff Wars Are Driving New OT Threats and Supply Chain RisksGlobal conflicts and tariff wars provide new opportunities for cyber adversaries, especially those targeting operational technology systems. Now attackers are focusing on fragile supply chains. Claroty researchers predict attackers will breach at least one major cyber-physical system in the next year.