Operating Technology Security Issues Are Increasing

Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) have become more and more vulnerable to cyber attacks. 

As more cyber-physical manufacturing systems become connected, accessibility to these networks from the Internet and the cloud requires defenders to have timely, useful vulnerability information to inform risk decisions. 

OT cyber security references the software, hardware, practices, personnel, and services deployed to protect operational technology infrastructure, people, and data. As data collection and analysis become more important and as IT and OT converge to enable “big data” initiatives, it has become necessary to reassess cyber security best practices for protecting OT. 

Industrial Control System (ICS) security is defined as the protection of industrial control systems from threats from cyber attackers. It is often referred to as OT security or security. It includes a wide range of practices including asset inventory & detection and vulnerability management.

ICS (or ) Security is growing in importance as cyber attacks increasingly focus on physical processes for either ransom or to cause harm to critical production systems.

Attacks such as those at the Oldsmar water treatment plant, the various ransomware attacks on the vaccine supply chain, and the more extensive threats to the Ukrainian and US power grids and oil refineries in the Middle East generate greater worry for boards, governments, and operators of industrial organisations.

There was a significant increase in ICS vulnerabilities during the second half  of 2021, with a 25% increase from the previous six months. 50% of vulnerabilities reported in the four year period were disclosed by third-party companies, and a majority of these were discovered by researchers at cybersecurity companies. This saw them shift their focus to include ICS alongside IT and IoT security research.

Non-OT products made up 34% of ICS vulnerabilities reported in 2021, and that indicates a trend of businesses merging OT, IT and IoT under a single security umbrella.

The experts at ICS security firm Claroty suggest that calling a world devoid of distinctions between operational tech, informational tech and Internet of things devices the “extended Internet of things” (XIoT), “an umbrella term that captures the cyber-physical systems critical to our lives.”

The risks associated with connecting OT, ICS and IoT networks to Internet-facing systems go beyond devices and endpoints. 

• 87% of all ICS vulnerabilities reported in 2H 2021 were considered low complexity, meaning an attacker doesn’t need any special conditions and can expect repeated success.

• 63% of vulnerabilities disclosed in the same timeframe could be executed remotely, and 53% gave attackers the ability to remotely execute code.

The recommendation is for organisations to segment the network. “Network segmentation is the top step, and should be a top consideration for defenders ahead of other options on our list,” say Claroty.

Organisations should configure virtual zones so they can be easily managed remotely, give zones specific policies tailored to the specific needs of the users in that zone and be sure they reserve the ability to inspect traffic, including OT protocols.

Claroty / Team82:       Mission Secure:     I-HLS:     Security Brief:      ZDNet:      Verve Industrial:

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