Possibly the most significant difference between IT and OT cybersecurity is the environment they operate in and serve to protect. OT cybersecurity safeguards industrial environments, which typically involve machinery, PLCs, and communication across industrial protocols. OT systems do not run on regular operating systems, often lack traditional security tools, and are usually programmed differently from conventional computers.
CYBERSECURITY
OPERATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (OT), INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)
CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity has long been critical in IT and helps organizations keep sensitive data safe, ensure users connect to the internet securely, and detect and prevent potential cyberattacks. Cybersecurity is also vital to OT systems to protect critical infrastructure. Any momentary delay or period of unplanned downtime can cause manufacturing plants, power plants, or water supply systems to shut down.
Protecting these systems becomes even more critical as they become more connected, which opens up new vulnerabilities for cyber criminals to exploit and gain access to industrial networks. As a result, attacks are increasing, with more than 90% of organizations that operate OT systems having experienced one or more damaging security events in a two-year period, according to Ponemon Institute research. Furthermore, at least 50% of those organizations suffered OT system infrastructure attacks that led to equipment or plant downtime.
Cyberattacks against OT systems and critical infrastructure are also ranked among the top five most significant risks by the World Economic Forum, alongside climate change, geopolitical tension, and natural disasters.
Operation Technology
Operational technology (OT) uses hardware and software to manage industrial equipment and systems. OT controls high-tech specialist systems, like those found in the energy, industrial, manufacturing, oil and gas, robotics, telecommunications, waste control, and water control industries. Industrial control systems (ICS) are one of the most prominent forms of OT. They control and monitor the performance of industrial processes and deploy systems like supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), which gather and analyze data in real time to manage plant equipment. These systems typically use programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which use information from sensors or devices to perform tasks like monitoring machine productivity, tracking operating temperatures, and automating machine processes.
Information Technology
Information technology (IT) is the development, management, and application of computer equipment, networks, software, and systems. IT is crucial to modern business operations because it enables people and machines to communicate and exchange information.
Operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) security protect devices, networks, systems, and users.
CAPABILITIES THAT SCALE WITH YOUR BUSINESS
Operation Technology Management includes key applications and capabilities that can grow with you as your needs change.
LIQUID EASY OT PLATFORM – NO FRICTION OT
OT MANAGEMENT
With the rise of Industry 4.0, technologies in manufacturing environments have become increasingly complex and integrated. However, manufacturers are often still dependent on manual processes and legacy knowledge to maintain their critical Operational Technology (OT) environment. As a result, it’s challenging to gain a complete picture of operational technology— let alone efficiently secure, monitor, and manage it all. Without contextual visibility, one minor issue can quickly evolve into a complex problem with costly solution. Entire operations could be halted due to a maintenance problem with one piece of machinery, putting production behind schedule.
LIQUID EASY OT PLATFORM (EOT)
EOT Operational Technology Management provides a complete and contextual view of OT systems,
so you can keep them secure—and up and running. Connect your operational technology to production processes with digital workflows to rapidly respond and recover from any incident or change.
Foundation
Utilizes data from
multiple sources and the
Purdue Model framework
to define critical
infrastructure levels
Visibility
Maintain system
security and availability by
providing a complete,
contextual view of
OT systems
Vulnerability
Response
Centralized view,
so you can easily assess,
prioritize, and react
to events
Service
Management
Connect your
operational technology
to production processes
and digital workflows
We can help you safeguard and manage your OT systems across your manufacturing operations with a single system of action that improves experiences and drives outcomes across the manufacturing value chain.
WHY CYBERSECURITY ON OT/IT?
Vulnerabilities include:
(1)a wide variety of esoteric, proprietary devices and protocols;
(2)onerous and inflexible change control procedures;
(3)poor OT technical environment documentation.
Our clients must maintain positive control of all physical assets to ensure their safe operations.
CYBER SECURITY?
Cybersecurity is the practice of deploying people, policies, processes and technologies to protect organizations, their critical systems and sensitive information from digital attacks.
Cybersecurity is a business problem that has been presented as such in boardrooms for years,
and yet accountability still lies primarily with IT leaders.
CYBERSECURITY
THE SOLUTION:
SEGMENTED ZERO TRUST NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
CRYPTOGRAPHICALLY
SEPARATED ZONES - NOT VISIBLE OR EXPLOITABLE
Secured point-to-point communications
aggregated into networks with their
own root of trust, runs on the same
infrastructure - but completely
separated from IT networks.
IT INDUSTRIAL PARTNERSHIP
