Three Cybersecurity Fundamentals for Robust OT Security and Visibility

In this session, I will delve into three crucial aspects of Operational Technology (OT) security. These fundamentals are pivotal for manufacturing organizations in safeguarding their critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats, ensuring
resilience, and achieving operational continuity. We’ll explore: 1. Network Segmentation for Sustainable Visibility: The traditional belief that an OT firewall sufficiently protects against IT threats is
outdated. As the industry's need for data access grows, organizations often poke holes in their OT firewalls, creating
vulnerabilities. This session will emphasize the importance of network segmentation within OT firewalls, which provides both visibility and containment capabilities. Attendees will learn why
segmentation is essential in reducing the threat landscape and gaining insights into potential attack vectors. 2. Assessing OT Risk for Resilience: Unlike typical IT risk assessments, the
2 of 5 focus here is on resilience. Manufacturing organizations must consider the possibility of a malicious actor disrupting critical controllers, leaving no room for recovery. Attendees
will gain a broader perspective on assessing risks, aligning it closely with business continuity concerns, and ensuring the continuous functioning of essential facilities. 3. Adapting to
Changing Threats: The ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape requires organizations to adapt to new threats continually. In this part of the session, we'll discuss the sophistication of
modern threats, the importance of IT and OT collaboration, real-time monitoring, and the significance of education and awareness in ensuring robust cybersecurity practices. This
topic includes experience gleaned from 25 years of working IT and OT data breaches.

Key Takeaways: Reevaluate Network Segmentation: Attendees
should revisit their network segmentation strategies, aligning them with the evolving needs of their operations to strengthen visibility and security.
Shift to Resilience-Centric Risk Assessment: Recognize the impact of a cybersecurity incident on the continuous functioning of critical facilities, prioritizing business continuity alongside
traditional risk assessments.
Stay Ahead of Evolving Threats: Embrace cybersecurity as a dynamic process. Collaborate between IT and OT,
implement continuous monitoring, and
educate all staff on cybersecurity best
practices to protect critical infrastructure
effectively.
Abstract: Threat mitigation and risk management is one of the biggest challenges to the operational resilience of OT network
environments in both critical infrastructure and in the commercial and industrial space.
The growing need for 3 of 5 data from OT environments to drive
business decisions through analytics is pushing organizations to compromise traditional rules for protecting these systems