Operational technology (OT) systems are being hit by more cyber attacks than ever before, a new report from cybersecurity experts Fortinet claims. Although organizations are doing their best to improve their security posture and secure their buildings, they are still falling short in important areas.
Fortinet surveyed more than 550 OT professionals around the world, working across industries, to discover best practices for improving security and reducing risk in OT environments. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of organizations experienced OT attacks this year.
Last year this figure was 49%, indicating a significant increase in just twelve months.
Fortinet’s recommendations
It’s not just about the scale of the attacks. The frequency has also increased significantly, with a third (31%) of respondents reporting more than six burglaries in the past year. The year before, only 11% reported the same.
Fortinet suggests that cybercriminals have quickly adapted to current security measures, while organizations have been left behind. Full visibility of OT systems in central security operations has fallen by half, from 10% in 2023 to just 5% this year. And finally, the company emphasized that responsibility for OT cybersecurity is increasingly being elevated to executive leadership, with increasing alignment with CISOs and other C-suite functions.
To address these challenges, Fortinet recommends that companies segment their infrastructure to create defensible network zones, create visibility and offset controls for OT assets, integrate OT into security operations and incident response planning, and provide OT-specific threat intelligence and security services. embrace.
Finally, companies should consider a platform approach as it will simplify and consolidate their security architecture.
“Fortinet’s 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report shows that while OT organizations are making progress in strengthening their security posture, teams still face significant challenges in securing converged IT/OT environments,” said John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer at Fortinet.
“Adopting essential tools and capabilities to improve visibility and protection across the network will be critical for these organizations when it comes to reducing the mean time to detection and response and ultimately reducing the overall risk of these environments.”