Why OT needs its own security approach
Plant networks were built for availability and safety, not for connectivity. As IT and OT converge — remote access, cloud historians, vendor support links — attackers can reach systems that control physical processes.
Legacy, unpatchable assets
PLCs, RTUs and HMIs often run for decades on unsupported operating systems that cannot simply be patched or scanned.
Flat IT/OT networks
Weak segmentation lets ransomware spread from the office network to the plant floor.
Insecure remote and vendor access
Always-on remote desktop and shared vendor accounts are a common entry point into control systems.
Safety and downtime risk
A cyber incident in OT can halt production, damage equipment or endanger people — and aggressive testing can cause the very outage you want to prevent.