Since the beginning of industry 4.0, most of the companies went forward with digital technologies to automate some processes. Indeed, a company has a productivity gain using the 4.0, and therefore creates a competitive advantage that will be hard to compete with competitors.
This digital turn includes advantages, but also risks that can’t be neglected for companies. For several years, we have been aware of the different cyberattacks that happen within the digital world (cyberattacks on information technology (IT)). Whether it is the theft of critical data, fraudulent emails, account piracy, etc., cybercriminals attack IT every day.
Now that measures to improve IT cybersecurity are evolving day by day, it exists another critical area that often goes unnoticed but is just as vital: the cybersecurity of operational technologies.
What is operational technology?
Different from information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) is focused on more tangible operations. This includes implementation, monitoring and troubleshooting all aspects of communications between physical devices and the hardware or software they power [1].
Operational technologies are used in different industries such as manufacturing, energy, transportation and public services. These systems are responsible for a wide range of tasks such as industrial machinery management, production line control, pipeline management, power grid regulation, and more.
Why OT cybersecurity is important?
Before the advent of Industry 4.0, TOs consisted of offline systems for controlling industrial processes. Since 4.0, TOs now integrate data processing and information technology (IT) communication protocols to ensure safe and efficient operations [2].
More and more, both technologies are merging to improve organizational agility. This merger brings with it new risks, as TOs become a gateway into the perimeter, even if IT has robust security barriers in place. Unfortunately, IT cybersecurity does not protect TOs. Organizations therefore need to be increasingly vigilant about this aspect, as this connection increases the risk of cyber-attacks.
As information technology cybersecurity, operational technology cybersecurity consist of protecting technologies from potential cyberattacks. Without protection, TOs are facing different threats such as remote access, ransomware, malware, insider threats and denial-of-service attacks. This lack of protection gives cybercriminals direct access to manipulate data systems that can create outages, affect connected systems or present false information. These threats can have a major impact on public safety, and can also cause physical and environmental damage, such as fires, oil spills, accidents causing multiple injuries, etc.
Of course, some TO components are more vulnerable than others: outdated or end-of-life systems, out-of-date software and firmware, and peripherals.
OT Protection
Ensuring operational technology cybersecurity is not something to be taken lightly, since as mentioned above, the consequences can be very serious. To mitigate these risks and secure TOs, several elements requiring technologies, processes and people can be put in place. These include testing manual mode (disconnecting from the internet), monitoring and logging TOs, applying updates and patches, isolating system processes and applying the principle of minimal access rights.
To conclude, the security of operational technologies will be more and more critical as the convergence of OT and IT accelerate. By understanding the unique challenges and by adopting proactive strategies, organizations can protect their critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats, ensuring the continued reliability and resilience of essential services.
If you think you have TOs that may be insecure, CyberS.T.O.R.M. can help. We specialize in the cybersecurity of operational technologies, whatever your industry.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
Sources
[1] https://fr.capterra.ca/glossary/247/operational-technology-ot
[2] https://www.cyber.gc.ca/fr/orientation/proteger-vos-technologies-operationnelles-itsap00051
https://www.bdc.ca/fr/articles-outils/technologie/investir-technologie/quest-ce-que-industrie-4
https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/protect-your-operational-technology-itsap00051
