One of the main challenges of OT security is the problem of compatibility. OT components often differ significantly from each other in terms of age and sophistication as well as software and communication protocols.

This complicates asset discovery and makes it difficult to establish a consistent cybersecurity governance approach. Combating asset blindness in OT security begins with taking account of these differences.

The standard asset visibility models, active and passive, have apparent faults; active monitoring may overload controllers with unnecessary signals, while passive monitoring may slow the process of collecting comprehensive data. These disadvantages can be mitigated by adopting a balanced approach that maximizes visibility and operational productivity.

Eliminating Information Silos

The core foundation of asset blind spots is siloed information. This may include incomplete or inaccurate data about assets and infrastructure, or it could simply be a lack of awareness between teams, such as IT and OT security. Different teams and individuals focus on their own priorities and objectives. No one has the whole picture.

The advent of the pandemic highlighted the significant level of fragmentation that existed between IT and OT teams. Unlike the world of IT, where solutions embrace a high level of standardization, the OT landscape can be described as chaotic, hence rendering efficient inter-team interactivity near impossible.

However, according to Fortinet’s report, most OT leaders were caught unawares by the pandemic and had to implement budget-stretching processes in a very short time such as by purchasing more equipment to support work-from-home connectivity for workers and enhance secure remote access.

Treating IT as a separate entity from plant operations contributes to asset management problems. This creates “blind” areas where assets remain unprotected and where data is not shared between IT and OT teams.

However, suppose there has been an advantage to the pandemic in (Read more...)