The remote work model along with the acceleration of IIoT technology and digital transformation has exposed new threat actors. The consistent cyber attack reports continue apace in sectors like energy and healthcare. OT environments have increasingly adopted remote access and networks have been digitalized with the ever-developing IT systems. This has led to more security issues and necessitated strategic management.
Security updates are rare, as the complex OT networks constitute legacy or outdated equipment and software. Thus, we will dive into the two main challenges of OT environments today: network and data security, and how we can address them.
Rapidly Changing OT Landspace
As devices communicate with TCP/IP networks, the isolated data networks within OT environments became easy targets for hackers. If you are planning a successful IT and OT protection for your organization, begin with incorporating the following measures:
- Train teams to handle the security hygiene of the interconnected IT and OT sites.
- Keep your systems updated and connect with global support networks to be a step ahead.
- Implement and ensure compliance with corporate policies.
- Make sure coordinated cybersecurity management is established and maintained throughout the environment.
Well, these might not be enough. There can be unprecedented challenges that your team needs to prepare for. Let’s look at some of those common issues first:
Lack of Security Knowledge
The foremost issue with OT security is the lack of awareness among the administrators and operators around the implications of IT systems. The industrial workforce is not ready for the rapid and extensive growth that requires up-to-date skills, such as TCP/IP, to quickly replace serial-based legacy technologies. Also, the age gap between the two departments with the OT environments having deep cultural and philosophical differences doesn’t help either.
Insecure Devices
Since IIoT and OT are cyber-physical systems (CPS) they are both easy and desirable for attacks that can cause operational disruption. OT networks are often at the receiving end of vulnerability as many of the systems utilize easily downloadable software packages and they operate on common hardware and standard operating systems. As OT environments are still transitioning, the security updates are yet to be plugged in for many networks. The missing patches and gaps serve as invitations for malicious actors. The most recent zero-day security attack on Kesaya is a prime example of it.
Human Dependence And Error
OT environments rely on humans for various tasks such as maintenance or construction. This poses challenges for security as it opens the window of dependence and error equally. The ever-emerging next-generation firewalls require continuous management and configuration of update cycles. In case the operator installs an unverified patch on the security components it can lead to critical problems and unauthorized access to the firewalls.
The complexities due to the lack of protocol, standardization, and implicit trust strategy lead to permeating the IT environments with such risks and threats.
How To Tackle Them
According to TSA, On July 20, the Transportation Security Administration issued a security directive “to implement specific mitigation measures to protect against ransomware attacks and other known threats to information technology and operational technology systems,” to the owners of about 100 pipelines, designated to be the most critical to the U.S. economy.
Here’s how you can deal with the challenges.
Simplify Networks
Organizations are taking proactive actions towards security. Post the Microsoft exchange servers attack, Microsoft announced the acquisition of CloudKnox Security, a platform designed to protect resources and identities across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments.
Simply your networks with integrated systems that can seamlessly leverage the available resources including ICS/SCADA systems. There are many security frameworks that can help you prioritize critical functions such as collaboration, advanced analytics, and risk-based decision-making.
Asset Inventory and Visibility
So far, only 7% of OT leaders reported no intrusions this year. The May attack on Colonial Pipeline was an eye-opener on how brittle corporate cybersecurity standards can be and how integral businesses can potentially be extorted.
For the effectiveness of OT cybersecurity, you need a deep foundation of asset information. Asset inventory is the list of all hardware and software systems operating in industrial control environments with accurate and timely aggregation of data.
Such a crucial environment needs the protection of comprehensive software inventory, secured configurations, and robust recovery processes with visibility into the backup status of every device. And in OT/IT networks, the required tools to gather such an extensive inventory becomes crucial.
Strategic Alignment and Management
A common alliance of IT and OT leaders needs to take place with Common goals and clearly defined outcomes in view. This can help teams drive towards an effective solution and management of the networks.
Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed thirteen bipartisan homeland security bills to bolster the cybersecurity of state and local government networks. Though we are moving in the right direction, there is still a long way to go for security.
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