OT Security operates by its own rules, and that is precisely where the risk lies. While data confidentiality is often the top priority in traditional IT, OT prioritizes availability and integrity.
OT encompasses all systems that control physical processes, from industrial control systems (ICS) and SCADA systems to individual programmable logic controllers (PLCs). A system failure in manufacturing or the energy supply can cause economic damage and pose safety risks to people and the environment.
Current threat landscape in operational technology
Recent data from the Dragos OT Cybersecurity Report 2026 and the BSI Situation Report 2025 (link in German) show an increase in threats:
+64%
Ransomware attacks on OT systems (2025 vs. 2024)
119
Ransomware groups targeted industrial organizations in 2025
42 days
Average detection time for OT ransomware without continuous monitoring
Strategic areas of action for OT resilience
Regulation as a business driver: NIS2, CRA and Critical Infrasturcture
The grace period for implementing NIS2 has expired. Now, approximately 30,000 companies in Germany are subject to mandatory risk management requirements. At the same time, the new Critical Infrastructure (KRITIS) is umbrella law establishes requirements for the physical resilience of critical infrastructure.
- NIS2 compliance: Mandatory implementation of risk management measures and strict incident reporting procedures.
- Cyber Resilience Act (CRA): Starting in 2026, active vulnerability management will be required for manufacturers throughout the entire product lifecycle.
- Liability minimization: Securing competitive advantages through early compliance with statutory due diligence obligations.
Your advantage: Companies that act early secure competitive advantages and reduce liability risks.
Security starts with procurement: OT Security by design
OT Security begins before installation even starts. In collaboration with international authorities such as CISA and the BSI, 12 criteria for selecting secure OT products have been defined that are closely aligned with the international standard IEC 62443. These criteria include:
- Security by default: No default passwords or insecure default settings.
- Strong authentication: Implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC).
- Transparent supply chains: Use of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and Pipeline Bill of Materials (PBOM) to verify the integrity of every component.
The goal is to eliminate security risks before systems even go live.
Secure remote access
Although remote maintenance by partners and internal teams is operationally necessary, it also represents a critical attack vector. Modern OT environments require solutions that go far beyond traditional VPN connections.
- Remote Privileged Access Management (rPAM): Granular control and monitoring of all privileged remote access.
- Auditability: Complete session recording for full traceability of all changes at the control level.
- Just-in-time access: Provision of temporary access based on the zero-trust principle instead of permanently opening the network.
The goal is to enable operational activities by external experts without compromising network integrity.
Ransomware resilience in OT environments
Ransomware groups are increasingly exploiting production outages for extortion purposes. An effective defense requires moving beyond the notion that OT Security is solely an IT concern.
- OT-specific backups: Backing up historian, HMI, and engineering data using immutable storage solutions.
- Network segmentation: Implementing the zone model according to IEC 62443 to effectively contain malware.
- Restart planning: Establishing dedicated OT recovery procedures to drastically reduce downtime (from 42 to 5 days).
The goal is to maintain production even under attack conditions and minimize recovery time.
Innovations: AI-powered defense and post-quantum security
The threat landscape is becoming increasingly sophisticated due to AI-powered attacks that can identify vulnerabilities at "machine speed." In response, modern OT defense relies on:
- AI-powered anomaly detection: Real-time identification of even the slightest deviations in machine behavior and network traffic.
- Virtual patching: Protection of legacy systems through intelligent network locks when direct updates are not possible.
- Crypto-agility: Preparation for future threats with quantum-resistant algorithms and highly secure data diodes.
Trend: Companies are shifting their focus from pure prevention tocyber resilience.
OT threat intelligence and geopolitics
Without up-to-date threat intelligence, teams can only react to incidents. A modern defense strategy uses specific feeds to gain advance knowledge of the tactics (TTPs) used by specific attacker groups, especially given the current geopolitical situation (BSI Situation Report 2025).
- Threat-informed defense: Prioritizing security measures based on real, industry-specific attacker profiles.
- Integrated SecOps: Consolidating IT and OT Security under centralized governance (CISO).
- Information sharing: Utilizing cross-sector ISACs as an early warning system against state-sponsored actors.
The goal is to transition from reactive incident management to a proactive, threat-driven security strategy.
What OT Security means for your role
OT Security affects many company functions, each with different challenges.
Decision-makers & executive management
OT attacks are business risks: production outages, supply chain disruptions, and liability issues are coming into focus. Ransomware attacks on OT systems are projected to rise by 64% by 2025, and over two-thirds of victims are in the manufacturing industry.
The key question: How resilient is your company in an emergency?
IT and OT leaders
The convergence of IT and OT creates new attack surfaces and requires new architectures. Secure remote access, network segmentation, and threat intelligence are becoming core operational tasks.
The challenge: Implementing security without compromising processes.
Security and OT teams
Legacy systems, a lack of transparency, and specialized protocols complicate traditional security approaches. A shortage of skilled workers exacerbates the situation, making external expertise and automation indispensable.
The focus: Creating visibility, detecting anomalies, and responding quickly.
OT Security quick check: How resilient is your OT environment?
The security of industrial systems cannot be measured by technology alone. A holistic view of transparency, processes, and dependencies is what matters most.
Check the status of your OT Security in just a few minutes.
✔ Asset transparency: Do you have a complete overview of all OT components, including outdated systems, external access points, and shadow assets?
✔ Network segmentation: Are your OT and IT networks clearly separated and secured through zoning and segmentation concepts (e.g., according to IEC 62443)?
✔ Secure remote access: Do you control all remote access connections, including vendor access, with granular permissions, session monitoring, and automatic termination?
✔ Ransomware preparedness: Do you have OT-specific backup and recovery strategies that explicitly account for SCADA, HMI, and historian systems?
✔ Incident response for OT: Do you have specific emergency plans for cyber incidents in production environments that include clearly defined responsibilities and recovery strategies?
✔ Supply chain security: Do you systematically assess the security risks of your suppliers, service providers, and components in use (e.g., through SBOMs)?
✔ Threat intelligence: Do you use OT-specific threat intelligence to continuously adapt your detection rules and defense measures to current attacker profiles?
If you cannot answer "yes" unequivocally to one or more of these questions, it is clear that action is needed.
Security considerations with IT/OT Convergence
OT Security: Effectively protecting industrial facilities
Due to their high level of connectivity and the integration of IT components, modern production facilities are increasingly exposed to risks. At the same time, traditional security measures cannot be applied unconditionally.
Learn why in this IT Security Update by Dr. Felix Kahrau, an expert and trainer at qSkills, who explains how industrial cybersecurity can be effectively implemented.
Get access to in-depth OT Security knowledge on it-sa 365
Don't let your knowledge of OT Security become outdated. The threat landscape is constantly evolving, so staying up to date is crucial.
On it-sa 365, you’ll find:
- On-demand sessions & expert presentations
Practical insights into current OT threats, Critical Infrastructure protection, and regulatory requirements - White papers, guides & best practices
content for strategic decisions and operational implementation - Direct interaction with experts & vendors
Network with leading figures in IT and OT Security and discuss concrete solutions
Register now for free and take advantage of the “Home of IT Security” 365 days a year.
Conclusion: OT Security is a top priority
Securing industrial systems is neither purely an IT nor exclusively an OT issue; it is a central component of corporate strategy. Organizations that take a holistic approach to OT Security not only strengthen their security posture but also enhance their resilience, competitiveness, and future viability.
FAQ on OT Security
Encompasses all measures taken to protect industrial control and production systems, such as ICS, SCADA, and PLCs, from cyberattacks, tampering, and failures. Unlike traditional IT security, the focus here is on the availability and integrity of physical processes rather than data confidentiality.
Because attacks can have direct physical consequences ranging from production downtime and environmental damage to endangering human lives. Many OT systems also run on outdated hardware that is not designed to support modern security measures.
IT security prioritizes confidentiality. OT Security prioritizes availability and integrity. An outage is not just a data protection issue, but also a security and production problem that can have physical consequences.
These three terms do not describe parallel worlds, but rather a hierarchy. OT is the umbrella term, ICS is a main category under it, and SCADA is a specific type of system within ICS.
- OT: all systems that control physical processes
- ICS: industrial control systems
- SCADA: remote monitoring & data acquisition
- DCS: distributed control systems
- PLC: programmable logic controllers
In terms of security, this means: Anyone managing OT Security also protects ICS and SCADA systems because they are part of OT. The most important practical difference from IT security lies not in the name but in the approach. IT security can employ active scanning and automated patching. However, OT Security must rely on passive monitoring because aggressive security measures could interrupt or damage ongoing physical processes.
OT Security is business-critical wherever digital systems control physical processes. It is particularly relevant in the energy and utilities, industry and manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and healthcare sectors. Other affected industries include oil, gas, chemicals, food production, and smart infrastructure.
In general, OT Security becomes more important as processes become more automated and interconnected, and as the potential impact of a failure increases.
Patch management involves systematically applying security updates to address vulnerabilities. In OT environments, this process is particularly complex. Patches often require system shutdowns, which are difficult to implement in 24/7 operations. Compensatory measures, such as virtual patching, bridge these gaps. The three core objectives are risk minimization, compliance (e.g., NIS2), and prioritization based on CVSS scores to improve efficiency.
NIS2 requires approximately 30,000 companies in Germany, particularly operators of critical infrastructure, to implement comprehensive security measures, risk management, and reporting obligations. These requirements explicitly apply to OT environments and their supply chains as well.
Although VPN and MFA secure the connection, they do not control what happens within a remote access session. OT environments also require granular access rights per asset, session recording, just-in-time access, and automatic termination. Only then is remote access secured according to the zero-trust principle.
Traditional IT ransomware targets data encryption. OT ransomware, on the other hand, targets operational disruption. Attackers either encrypt SCADA servers, HMIs, and historian databases or manipulate control logic to halt physical processes. Recovery requires OT-specific expertise and takes an average of 42 days without prior preparation.