OT Organizations Are Facing More Cyber Threats Than Ever Before
Operational Technology (OT) systems are under increasing cyberattacks, a recent report by cybersecurity experts Fortinet reveals. Last year, 49% of organizations faced OT attacks, but this year, the number has risen alarmingly to 73%. This means that in just 12 months, there has been a significant surge in cyber threats targeting OT systems.
Increase in Attack Frequency
It's not just the number of attacks that has gone up. The frequency of these attacks has also spiked. About 31% of survey respondents reported experiencing more than six intrusions in the past year, compared to only 11% the year before. This shows that cybercriminals are adapting quickly to existing security measures, while organizations are struggling to keep up.
Reducing Visibility of OT Systems
Another worrying trend is the decline in visibility of OT systems in central security operations. Last year, 10% of organizations had complete visibility of their OT systems, but this year, that number has dropped to a mere 5%.
Executive Leadership Taking Charge
With the rising threats, the responsibility for OT cybersecurity is increasingly being taken up by executive leadership. There's more alignment with CISOs and other C-suite roles to tackle these security issues.
Fortinet's Recommendations
To better address these challenges, Fortinet suggests several measures:
- Segmenting Infrastructure: Create defensible network zones to limit the spread of attacks.
- Establishing Visibility: Implement compensating controls for OT assets.
- Integrating Security Operations: Include OT systems in security operations and incident response plans.
- Leveraging OT-Specific Intelligence: Use threat intelligence and security services tailored for OT environments.
- Adopting a Platform Approach: Simplify and consolidate the security architecture to make it more manageable.
Expert Views
“Fortinet’s 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report shows that while OT organizations are making progress in strengthening their security posture, teams still face significant challenges in securing converged IT/OT environments,” said John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet. “Adopting essential tools and capabilities to enhance visibility and protection across the entire network will be vital for these organizations when it comes to reducing the mean time to detection and response and ultimately reducing the overall risk of these environments.”
In summary, while OT organizations are making strides in securing their environments, there's a clear need for more robust measures and executive involvement to combat the increasing cyber threats effectively.
