Operational Technology (OT) Security

Protect Your Industrial Systems and Connected Products

Operational Technology (OT) Security

Protect Your Industrial Systems and Connected Products

Production facilities, industrial control systems, connected IoT devices, and embedded systems are more interconnected than ever. This creates new attack paths through vulnerabilities in devices and systems, insufficiently secured remote access, and vulnerabilities across supply chains. The potential consequences range from production interruptions and delivery failures to the loss of expertise and disruption of critical functions, products, and processes.

As cyber risks in industrial environments and connected products grow, regulatory requirements are also becoming increasingly relevant, including NIS-2, KRITIS, and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Established standards and frameworks such as IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 also provide guidance for implementing and assessing technical and organizational security measures in OT environments.

Which Systems Do We Address as Part of OT Security?

Operational Technology (OT) Security, also known as OT security or industrial cyber security, protects industrial systems and processes against cyber risks and their impact on ongoing operations. In practice, we also consider other types of systems that are increasingly becoming part of connected operational and product environments and introduce their own cyber risks. These include:

Industrial Control Systems (ICS)

Industrial control systems and operational environments in production and operations.

Internet of Things/ Industrial Internet of Things (IoT/IIoT)

Connected devices that communicate and exchange data over the internet or support processes. Examples include smart sensors, alarm systems, and other connected devices.

Embedded Systems

Computer systems integrated into devices, machines, or products that autonomously control a specific task, for example in vehicles or household appliances. They often form the technical foundation of ICS and IoT components.

Securing production and operational environments is becoming increasingly complex. Unlike conventional IT environments, not every security approach can be applied directly to connected devices, industrial systems, or embedded components. Availability, process integrity, and the secure control of facilities often take priority. OT Security therefore requires an individual assessment of systems, communication paths, and potential attack paths to align security measures with the requirements of ongoing operations.

Robin Plugge

Senior Consultant IT Security and Expert for Pentesting OT and IoT Systems, usd AG

Key Action Areas for Secure OT Environments

As your cyber security partner, we help you secure your industrial systems, IoT devices, and embedded systems. From identifying relevant risks and assessing technical and organizational security measures to interpreting regulatory requirements, we provide the insight you need to make informed decisions for your OT environment.

We combine technical security analyses, organizational assessments, and regulatory expertise to give you a comprehensive view of the security of your products and industrial environments from a single source.