IT-OT convergence: Why security leaders must act now to protect both domains

As IT and OT systems converge, cybersecurity leaders face a growing and critical challenge: managing risk across both domains. The Colonial Pipeline attack in 2021 has had a long-term impact. It shows how an IT-targeted ransomware attack could bring an OT environment to a standstill, disrupting essential fuel supplies. This incident, and others like it, underscore that today's cyber threats extend far beyond data loss—they can halt physical operations, posing significant financial and safety risks.

The expanding attack surface
The expanding attack surface is a key driver of rising cyber risk. As organisations adopt IoT, cloud solutions, AI, and other digital tools, they open new entry points for attackers. The latest Tenable Cloud Risk Report warned of a "toxic cloud trilogy"—a combination of highly privileged, publicly accessible, and critically vulnerable workloads—that create interconnected weak points, providing direct paths for cybercriminals.

This interconnectedness also blurs IT and OT boundaries, enabling attackers to move across domains and trigger a "domino effect" of risks enterprise-wide.

Unique vulnerabilities in OT systems
Securing operational technology (OT) systems is uniquely challenging because many lack built-in security controls, having been designed for reliability rather than cybersecurity. OT systems like ICS, SCADA, and PLCs are often unpatched due to downtime concerns, making them prime targets. 
For example, OT systems are often not segmented from IT systems, enabling attackers to move laterally across the network. 

The shift in cybersecurity leadership
With IT-OT convergence, cybersecurity leaders are now responsible for a much broader scope of assets, including physical operations that have traditionally been outside of their purview. This shift requires not only an expanded skill set but also a new approach to risk management that encompasses both digital and physical threats. Security leaders must understand the complexities of OT environments, which often involve older systems and unique protocols, while still maintaining robust defences in IT.

For many organisations, this means going beyond traditional IT security methods and adopting strategies tailored to OT. The increasing frequency of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure—such as those on healthcare systems, power grids, and water facilities—highlights the urgent need for cybersecurity strategies that can mitigate risks across both IT and OT.

The need for a unified cyber exposure strategy
Given the realities of today's threat landscape, cybersecurity leaders must adopt an integrated approach to risk management across IT and OT. This approach requires breaking down traditional silos between IT and OT teams and implementing comprehensive, cross-domain security protocols. 

Here are some of the key strategies organisations should prioritise:

• Visibility and Asset Management: A complete inventory of all IT, OT, and IoT assets is essential for effective risk management. Security leaders need real-time visibility into all devices, endpoints, and connections across their networks to identify potential vulnerabilities and mitigate risks proactively.
• Unified Security Protocols: IT and OT teams must work collaboratively to create security protocols that address each domain's unique requirements. While IT typically focuses on data protection, OT security must prioritise the safety and continuity of physical processes. Unified protocols ensure that threats are managed consistently across both domains.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Threat Detection: Implementing real-time monitoring and detection tools across both IT and OT systems enables rapid threat identification and response. AI and machine learning tools can help detect abnormal patterns that indicate potential threats, allowing organisations to address issues before they escalate into full-scale attacks.
• Zero Trust Architecture: By adopting a Zero Trust model, organisations can ensure that every access request within their network is thoroughly verified, regardless of the request's origin. This approach limits access to critical OT systems and helps prevent unauthorised movement across the network.
• Proactive Patch Management: Regularly updating and patching OT systems is challenging but essential for security. Organisations need a structured approach to patch management, combined with strategic downtime planning, to ensure that systems remain protected without disrupting operations.

Managing cybersecurity risk across IT and OT environments is no longer a choice — it's a necessity. As modern threats exploit vulnerabilities across domains, security leaders must adopt a more comprehensive, exposure-based approach. By breaking down the silos between IT and OT, organisations can better protect themselves against the full range of cyber threats, ensuring the continuity of operations, the safety of employees, and the security of critical data.

The future of cybersecurity lies in integration — protecting every connection, every asset, and every domain from attack.