Over the past few years, Information Technology (IT) networks and Operational Technology (OT) environments have become interconnected, which has exposed a variety of vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the security of both, but especially OT. OT security and Industrial Control System Security (ICS), while improving, has not kept up with their evolving ecosystem, leaving systems exposed —
as seen by attacks on Colonial Pipeline, the Florida Water system and other critical infrastructure. A recent Nozomi Networks-sponsored SANS 2021 OT/ICS Cybersecurity report reinforces this, revealing that ICS cybersecurity threats remain high and are only growing in severity.
While the results show a significant improvement from the last report published in 2019, 48% of respondents still admit to being unaware of whether their organization had suffered a compromise. This lack of visibility is a cause for concern, especially when visibility and detection solutions are readily available today to provide insights and awareness across an organization.