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.
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Why do the Riskiest SOC Alerts Go Unanswered? Security operations teams are drowning in alerts. But the real problem isn't always alert volume; it's the blind spots. The most dangerous alerts are the ones no one is investigating
Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malware called ZionSiphon that appears to be specifically designed to target Israeli water treatment and desalination systems
Iran-affiliated cyber actors are targeting internet-facing operational technology (OT) devices across critical infrastructures in the U.S., including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), cybersecurity and intelligence agencies warned Tuesday
A study by OMICRON has revealed widespread cybersecurity gaps in the operational technology (OT) networks of substations, power plants, and control centers worldwide. Drawing on data from more than 100 installations, the analysis highlights recurring technical, organizational, and functional issues that leave critical energy infrastructure vulnerable to cyber threats
The "coordinated" cyber attack targeting multiple sites across the Polish power grid has been attributed with medium confidence to a Russian state-sponsored hacking crew known as ELECTRUM
Malicious actors have been observed exploiting a now-patched critical security flaw impacting Erlang/Open Telecom Platform (OTP) SSH as early as beginning of May 2025, with about 70% of detections originating from firewalls protecting operational technology (OT) networks
U.S. cybersecurity and intelligence agencies have issued a joint advisory warning of potential cyber-attacks from Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors. "Over the past several months, there has been increasing activity from hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors, which is expected to escalate due to recent events," the agencies said
The Evolving Healthcare Cybersecurity Landscape Healthcare organizations face unprecedented cybersecurity challenges in 2025. With operational technology (OT) environments increasingly targeted and the convergence of IT and medical systems creating an expanded attack surface, traditional security approaches are proving inadequate. According to recent statistics, the healthcare sector
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of two critical flaws impacting mySCADA myPRO, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system used in operational technology (OT) environments, that could allow malicious actors to take control of susceptible systems
Why does ICS/OT need specific controls and its own cybersecurity budget today? Because treating ICS/OT security with an IT security playbook isn’t just ineffective—it’s high risk
Iran-affiliated threat actors have been linked to a new custom malware that's geared toward IoT and operational technology (OT) environments in Israel and the United States
Operational Technology (OT) security has affected marine vessel and port operators, since both ships and industrial cranes are being digitalized and automated at a rapid pace, ushering in new types of security challenges
A comprehensive guide authored by Dean Parsons emphasizes the growing need for specialized ICS security measures in the face of rising cyber threats
Multiple security flaws have been disclosed in Emerson Rosemount gas chromatographs that could be exploited by malicious actors to obtain sensitive information, induce a denial-of-service (DoS) condition, and even execute arbitrary commands
Microsoft has emphasized the need for securing internet-exposed operational technology (OT) devices following a spate of cyber attacks targeting such environments since late 2023
Operational Technology (OT) refers to the hardware and software used to change, monitor, or control the enterprise's physical devices, processes, and events. Unlike traditional Information Technology (IT) systems, OT systems directly impact the physical world. This unique characteristic of OT brings additional cybersecurity considerations not typically present in conventional IT security
When you read reports about cyber-attacks affecting operational technology (OT), it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and assume every single one is sophisticated. But are OT environments all over the world really besieged by a constant barrage of complex cyber-attacks? Answering that would require breaking down the different types of OT cyber-attacks and then looking back on all the
Nearly five dozen security vulnerabilities have been disclosed in devices from 10 operational technology (OT) vendors due to what researchers call are "insecure-by-design practices." Collectively dubbed OT:ICEFALL by Forescout, the 56 issues span as many as 26 device models from Bently Nevada, Emerson, Honeywell, JTEKT, Motorola, Omron, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, and Yokogawa
As ransomware infections have evolved from purely encrypting data to schemes such as double and triple extortion, a new attack vector is likely to set the stage for future campaigns
The U.S. government on Wednesday warned of nation-state actors deploying specialized malware to maintain access to industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) devices