Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Safety

Operational technology (OT) involves systems that interact with the physical world, whereas information technology (IT) focuses on the digital realm. OT deals with industrial control systems like SCADA, PLC, DCS, SIS, and RTUs, as well as non-industrial systems like building management and access controls.

OT faces unique challenges, risks, and threat actors, and its consequences and controls differ significantly from IT. While there’s overlap between OT and IT, the nuances of OT require specialized expertise. Our expert team excels in managing these differences, helping organizations navigate IT/OT integration, convergence and operational efficiencies, with safety at the forefront through our OT cyber safety services.

OT cyber safety emphasizes the prevention of safety impacts, which are often the worst-case consequences for industrial control systems. Our experts prioritize safety in every aspect of their work. While cybersecurity ensures systems are secure and reliable, OT cyber safety adds another critical layer: safeguarding lives and physical assets. All our efforts aim to achieve safe, secure and reliable operations, tailored to the unique needs and priorities of each client, always putting safety first.

Operational technology faces numerous risks that can disrupt safe, secure and reliable operations. These risks include:

• Loss of view: inability to monitor systems
• Loss of control: failure to manage critical processes
• Loss of protection: weakening of security safeguards
• Loss of safety: direct threats to human lives and infrastructure

Threats often come from sophisticated adversaries such as nation-states or financially motivated actors. Their motivations vary, from political agendas to monetary gain. If you want to understand the specific risks and threats your OT environment faces, reach out to our team for a detailed consultation.

The foundation of OT cyber safety is managing safety risks effectively. Ensure your organization has robust OT cyber controls to prevent safety failures.

If you’re unsure where to start, here are some practical steps:

• Conduct an OT cyber safety tabletop exercise: to test assumptions about potential incidents
• Develop an OT cyber safety incident response plan: potentially aligned with existing IT plans and OT business continuity or disaster recovery strategies
• Perform an OT cyber safety assessment: tailored to your organization's risk tolerance
• Establish an OT cyber safety steering committee: with executive leadership to drive initiatives
• Create an OT cyber safety roadmap: with a strategic action plan

Contact us for support – our experts can guide you in setting up a program that aligns with your organization’s needs.

The applicable standards and regulations depend on your region and industry. Key examples include:

• Europe: the NIS2 Directive enhances the security of critical infrastructure across the EU, requiring operators to implement robust measures and report incidents
• North America: NERC CIP ensures the resilience of power grids in the USA, and parts of Canada and Mexico
• Singapore: the Cybersecurity Code of Practice (CCoP) safeguards critical national infrastructure designated as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)
• Australia: the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act (SOC) regulates key industries, protecting assets across 11 sectors
• Global: ISA/IEC 62443 sets guidelines for securing industrial automation and control systems (IACS). These include requirements for risk assessment, network segmentation and cybersecurity program development
• Process industry safety: standards like IEC 61511-1 mandate security risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities in safety instrumented systems (SIS)

Understanding and adhering to these standards is vital. Contact us today to learn how we can help ensure compliance and improve your OT cyber safety program.