Securing Operational Technology: Challenges and best practices

In today’s hyper-connected world, operational technology (OT) forms the foundation of modern society—driving power grids, factories, transportation systems, and water treatment plants. These critical infrastructures keep industries moving and ensure that essentials like electricity and clean water reach our homes and communities.

However, as OT environments become increasingly converged with IT networks and cloud platforms, they also become more vulnerable to cyber threats.

A recent report highlights the alarming rise in cyberattacks targeting industrial organizations, with ransomware attacks surging by 87 percent in 2024—manufacturing being the most targeted sector. [Source]

The challenges of OT security

Unlike traditional IT environments, OT systems were not initially designed with cybersecurity in mind. They were built for reliability and longevity—often running decades-old systems that were never meant to be connected to external networks. As a result, organizations face a unique set of challenges in securing OT environments:

1. Legacy systems compatibility: Many OT environments rely on outdated systems that were designed decades ago. These unpatched, insecure systems create easy entry points for attackers, yet upgrading them is often costly and complex.
2. Complex environments: OT environments are a mix of old and new technologies, often involving multiple vendors and stakeholders. This complexity makes it difficult to apply standard cybersecurity solutions, leading to fragmented security strategies across different sectors.
3. Regulatory compliance: Critical infrastructure sectors must comply with an evolving set of cybersecurity regulations and standards, such as NIST, IEC 62443, and national cybersecurity frameworks. Balancing compliance with operational efficiency is a constant challenge for organizations.
4. Resource constraints: Many organizations struggle with limited cybersecurity budgets, forcing them to prioritize production uptime over security investments. This gap leaves critical infrastructure exposed to sophisticated cyber threats.
5. Interconnected networks: The convergence of IT and OT networks has created a new class of industrial digital vulnerabilities A breach in one part of the system can quickly spread to others, disrupting entire industries. Attackers often use this interconnectivity to move laterally across networks undetected.
6. Supply chain risks: Organizations don’t just need to secure their own systems but also assess the security of their third-party vendors. A compromised supplier can introduce vulnerabilities that affect multiple companies, leading to production halts and operational disruptions.

Best practices for strengthening OT security             

While the challenges are significant, organizations can take proactive steps to bolster their OT security posture. Here are some key strategies:

1. Conduct comprehensive OT risk assessments: Understanding your OT environment is the first step to securing it. Organizations should conduct regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities, weak points, and critical assets that need the highest level of protection
2. Implement network segmentation: Applying Zero Trust principles and segmentation techniques—such as firewalls, demilitarized zones (DMZs), and air gaps—helps isolate critical OT assets from external threats and prevent attackers from moving laterally.
3. Enforce strict access controls and MFA: Implement least privilege access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can interact with OT systems. Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and continuous identity verification strengthens defenses against insider and external threats.
4. Develop OT-specific incident response plans: A cyberattack on OT systems requires a different response than an IT breach. Organizations should develop and test OT-specific incident response plans, ensuring they can quickly contain and mitigate threats while minimizing operational disruptions.
5. Use continuous monitoring and threat intelligence: Traditional IT security tools often fail to detect OT threats. Organizations should invest in specialized OT security solutions that provide real-time monitoring, anomaly detection, and predictive threat intelligence. According to a SANS 2023 ICS/OT survey, only 35 percent of organizations have centralized visibility into their OT environments—a gap that needs urgent attention.
6. Train OT and IT teams on cybersecurity: A strong security culture is the best defense. Cross-training IT and OT teams on cybersecurity risks, response protocols, and best practices ensures that security isn’t an afterthought in industrial environments.
7. Strengthen partnership with OT security experts: Many organizations struggle to secure OT due to a lack of in-house expertise. Partnering with specialized OT security providers helps bridge knowledge gaps and ensures the right controls, detection mechanisms, and response strategies are in place.

Cyber threats targeting OT environments are growing in scale and sophistication. Organizations must take action now—investing in visibility, segmentation, access controls, and continuous monitoring to safeguard their critical infrastructure.

At CPX, we help organizations across industries secure their OT environments, build long-term resilience, and safeguard their most critical systems. If your organization is looking to strengthen its OT security strategy, let’s start the conversation today.