For too long the cybersecurity world focused exclusively on information technology (IT), leaving operational technology (OT) to fend for itself. Traditionally, few industrial enterprises had dedicated cybersecurity leaders. Any security decisions that arose fell to the plant and factory managers, who are highly skilled technical experts in other areas but often lack cybersecurity training or knowledge.
In more recent years, an uptick in cyberattacks against industrial facilities and the trend of IT/OT convergence driven by Industry 4.0 have highlighted the vacuum of ownership around OT security. According to a new Fortinet report, most organizations are looking to Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) to solve the problem.
Fortunately, CISOs are no strangers to change or difficult challenges. The position itself is less than 20 years old, yet in those two decades CISOs have navigated some of the most disruptive cybersecurity events that were truly watershed moments in technology.
Still, most CISOs have made their mark securing IT environments — and IT security strategies and tools rarely translate to an OT context. While the soft skills of collaboration and team-building will certainly help CISOs as they bring the factory floor into their realm of responsibility, they must also make a concentrated effort to understand the OT landscape’s unique topography and distinctive security challenges.
images from Hacker News
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