The resilience of operational technology (OT) has changed in the wake of the pandemic, and the stakes are higher today than before. Automation, powered by intelligent devices and robots, has caused some of the most significant disruptions. However, the rapid growth and proliferation of automation and smart devices also increase the attack surface and introduce new vulnerabilities. Faced with this shift, organizations need to invest in IT/OT security integration to protect connected industrial devices from attacks.
Resilience to external or internal attacks is increased by scanning assets for new vulnerabilities and cyber threats as they emerge. This helps the security team prioritize threat response based on risk level and allows them to automate device patches and updates. Also, logs of all device activity over time should always be maintained for forensics and compliance. Security management is also made easier by monitoring network changes to ensure temporary adjustments to firewall permissions and segmentation do not persist when they are no longer needed. Of particular importance in OT is also the protection of the programmable logic controllers (PLC),
Operational Resiliency Starts With Device Visibility
In today’s highly complex IT/OT environments, operational resiliency requires a comprehensive approach to device security. This starts with transparency and a complete view of each asset, as well as the security status and risks of the environment. IT security teams should leverage any resources available to quickly resolve security issues to prevent attacks and keep operations safe and efficient.
