B2B Tech
With India’s industrial sector digitizing at breakneck speed, manufacturing and industrial CISOs face new frontier—securing operational technology (OT)—systems that control everything from power grids and smart cities, to digital factories and transportation systems. Cyber attackers are now regularly targeting critical infrastructure, with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) reporting a 300% increase in attacks targeting industrial control systems between 2018 and 2022.
For CISOs, the integration of IT and OT has blurred traditional risk boundaries. Many legacy OT devices and systems run on outdated, proprietary protocols—and lack basic security controls—making them difficult to monitor and patch. Unlike IT systems, where automated vulnerability management is standard, OT environments require specialized, non-intrusive tools to avoid disrupting critical operations. This complexity is compounded by the proliferation of IoT devices, which further increases the number of endpoints vulnerable to exploitation. The result: a sprawling attack surface that’s tough to monitor—and even harder to secure.
Ransomware gangs and nation-state actors have noticed. They’re targeting critical infrastructure operations—energy, utilities, healthcare, transportation–where a breach could have ripple effects across the economy. The threat isn’t just digital; it’s physical. A compromised OT system can halt production, damage equipment, or even endanger lives.
For CISOs, tackling this complex threat landscape requires a shift in strategy. First, organizations need to abandon the assumption that air-gapped systems are inherently secure. Modern attacks specifically target these supposed “security by isolation” setups. Second, visibility remains the critical challenge. Many organizations lack comprehensive asset inventories of their OT environments. A DSCI survey revealed that a majority couldn’t identify all connected devices in their operational networks—resulting in an unmonitored, vulnerable attack surface. Third, better collaboration between IT and OT for integrated security. When engineering teams deploy OT systems without security consultation, vulnerabilities are inevitable.
The path forward requires investing in OT-specific security tools, implementing zero-trust architectures that extend to industrial systems, and developing specialized incident response plans for OT environments. Some forward-thinking CISOs are already implementing converged security operations centers that monitor both IT and OT environments simultaneously. Others need to take note.
The bottom line: OT security is becoming a boardroom issue. For CISOs, the challenge is daunting—but with the proper proactive, adaptive, and integrated strategies, it’s possible to keep the lights on—and the threats at bay.
