New concerns about cyber threats against OT systems have resulted in the C-suite and traditional security leaders taking over cybersecurity decision-making. While OT cybersecurity has traditionally fallen under the purview of organizations’ operations teams, Fortinet’s 2023 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report has found that the majority of survey respondents reported shifting OT security decisions under the CISO—a strong indicator that OT security has been elevated to a critical business initiative.
Cybercriminals are taking a new interest in OT systems. IT and OT systems which had previously been air-gapped are now tightly integrated. In addition to having an expanded attack surface, your clients now must deal with new vulnerabilities within their OT systems. Threat actors also know that CISOs prioritize downtime in OT environments. As the Fortinet report notes, “ … success in an OT network is measured less by maintaining confidentiality and integrity of data and more by the availability of critical systems.” This can lead to organizations being more willing to pay ransoms.
So, what are your CISOs looking for in a security advisor? Someone who offers cybersecurity solutions that deliver rapid response times to attacks on their OT systems. However, as with IT networks, having point solutions in place won’t adequately safeguard your clients’ OT networks (and allow their CISOs to sleep at night). You must provide a comprehensive solution that reduces complexity and accelerates outcomes.
Partner with vendors such as Fortinet that can help you build an OT security platform with integration and automation in mind. The right vendor will enable you to consistently incorporate and enforce policies across an increasingly converged IT/OT landscape. Work with vendors who have a wide portfolio of solutions that can provide the basic solutions of asset inventory and segmentation and more advanced solutions, such as an OT SOC or the ability to support a joint IT/OT SOC.
Next, deploy Network Access Control (NAC) technology. The right NAC technology will solve your CISO’s concerns around securing industrial control systems (ICS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), Internet of Things (IoT), bring your own device (BYOD) and other endpoints. An effective NAC solution also helps to maintain complete control of an organization’s network by managing new devices that want to connect or communicate with other parts of the organization’s infrastructure.
Educate your CISOs’ teams on how Zero Trust provides continuous verification of all users, applications and devices seeking access to critical assets, regardless of where they reside.
Download your copy of Fortinet’s 2023 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report to learn more about the challenges that your clients’ face in securing their OT systems and how you can help them.