Alexandra Borgeaud
Research expert covering cybersecurity and tech in Latin America
Operational technology (OT) cybersecurity - statistics & facts
Recent years have witnessed a phenomenal increase in the number and scale of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure (CI), including power grids, water treatment plants, oil and gas, transportation and telecommunications systems, as well as healthcare facilities. In this context, operational technology (OT) describes the combination of hardware and software to monitor, control, and automate physical processes, devices, and infrastructure in these crucial, asset-intensive industries. Responsible for CI monitoring and smooth functioning, OT systems thus possess some unique characteristics that distinguish them from traditional IT systems, notably their need to operate in harsh environments, making securing these systems particularly challenging.
Looking ahead, protecting ICS/OT systems in critical infrastructure will only gain in importance. Any disruption to these systems can have dire consequences, from environmental damage to economic and even life losses. Given the criticality of these systems, organizations that operate CI will have to take steps and stay ahead of the game to protect them from increasingly complex and sophisticated cyberthreats.
Growing OT attack surface
The digital transformation experienced in our societies has resulted in the growing connectedness of OT environments as well as IT-OT convergence, expanding OT owners’ attack surface. Considering the importance of industrial process continuity, value of trade secrets, and public safety-related impacts, it comes as no surprise that both organized crime and state-sponsored actors see CI organizations as lucrative targets for financial gain, espionage, or cyberwarfare operations. According to a 2023 survey, a key consequence of the continued vulnerability of OT networks was the increased involvement of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in OT cybersecurity decision-making. On the contrary, preferred cybersecurity solutions to safeguard operational OT systems include network access control, security operations centers (SOCs), and event analysis. Regarding investment priorities, asset inventory and management is forecast to constitute the main investment area in OT cybersecurity in the near future.Securing systems of crucial importance
Industrial control systems (ICS) are a main component of OT. ICS includes diverse types of devices, controls, and networks that manage a variety of industrial processes. In a 2024 survey, around two-thirds of respondents worldwide pointed out firewalls as the main cybersecurity technology to protect their assets, notably against phishing messages, which constituted the number one attack vector used in ICS cybersecurity incidents in 2023. Nevertheless, well-meaning but negligent insiders are considered the biggest threat actors to ICS security, with malicious insiders ranking second. When attempting to reduce the ICS attack surface, CI organizations face diverse obstacles, from operational requirements to lack of personnel, depending on their responsibility level.Looking ahead, protecting ICS/OT systems in critical infrastructure will only gain in importance. Any disruption to these systems can have dire consequences, from environmental damage to economic and even life losses. Given the criticality of these systems, organizations that operate CI will have to take steps and stay ahead of the game to protect them from increasingly complex and sophisticated cyberthreats.
