How to enhance the cybersecurity of operational technology environment
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Cyberattacks on operational technology systems have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their huge impact on industrial operations means that organizations must find answers-quickly.
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OT cyberattacks tend to have higher, more negative effects than those in IT do, as they can have physical consequences (for example, shutdowns, outages, leakages, and explosions). Of 64 OT cyberattacks publicly reported in 2021 (an increase of 140 percent over the number reported in 2020), approximately 35 percent had physical consequences, and the estimated damages were $140 million per incident.2 Geopolitical risks in 2022 resulted in an 87 percent increase in ransomware incidents, with 72 percent of the overall rate increase over the 2021 figures coming from Europe and North America (40 percent more in North America, 32 percent more in Europe, and 28 percent more in other continents, compared with 2021 data)Key factors to succeed with OT cybersecurity
Considering the challenges, enhancing OT cybersecurity demands a combination of technologies, processes, and capabilities across an organization. Our work with industrial organizations has helped us identify nine key factors to succeed in enhancing OT cybersecurity that center around three principles: strengthen technological foundations, ensure value-driven OT operations, and increase cyber-aware capabilities and mindsets.