Why OT Security is Still Challenging for IT Security Professionals?

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Why OT Security is Still Challenging for IT Security Professionals

The 'OT Security' area will ultimately be handled by people with experience in IT technology and security. But 'OT security' remains complex for IT security professionals due to several fundamental differences between IT and OT environments. Below are the key challenges

Challenges IT Security Professionals Face in OT Security

Fundamental Differences Between IT and OT

  • IT Focus: Data confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA).
  • OT Focus: Safety, reliability, and continuous availability (AIC).
  • Challenge: IT security professionals are used to prioritizing data protection, whereas OT environments prioritize uptime and operational safety.

Legacy Systems & Lack of Patching

  • Many OT systems run on legacy Windows or Unix-based platforms that are decades old.
  • Challenge: IT security professionals are used to frequent patching, but in OT, patching may cause downtime or disrupt critical operations.

Real-Time and Deterministic Operations

  • OT devices like PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA systems require real-time communication.
  • Challenge: Traditional IT security tools like firewalls and endpoint protection may introduce latency, which is unacceptable in OT environments.

Proprietary Protocols and Vendor-Specific Technologies

  • Unlike IT, which uses standard protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, etc.), OT uses proprietary and industrial protocols (Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, Profinet).
  • Challenge: IT professionals often lack experience with these specialized protocols.

Air-Gapped Misconception

  • Many believe that OT networks are completely isolated (air-gapped) from IT networks. However, remote access, cloud integrations, and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) have blurred the lines.
  • Challenge: IT teams may underestimate the risk of cross-network attacks (e.g., ransomware moving from IT to OT).

Different Risk Management Approaches

  • IT security uses active scanning, automated updates, and rapid response.
  • OT security must use passive monitoring, careful change management, and controlled response to avoid downtime.
  • Challenge: IT professionals may struggle to apply standard security practices without disrupting industrial processes.

Compliance and Regulations

  • OT security is governed by NIST 800-82, IEC 62443, NERC CIP, and ISA99, which are different from IT security frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and CIS Controls.
  • Challenge: IT teams need to learn new compliance standards specific to industrial environments.

Solutions: How IT Security Professionals Can Adapt to OT Security

Understand OT-Specific Risks & Priorities

  • Learn Safety, Reliability, and Availability principles in OT.
  • Study ICS/SCADA architectures and Purdue Model.

Develop an Understanding of Industrial Protocols & Devices

  • Study Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, Profinet, BACnet, and MQTT.
  • Gain familiarity with PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, Historians, and Engineering Workstations.

Learn OT Security Frameworks & Regulations

  • Study ISA/IEC 62443, NIST 800-82, NERC CIP, and ISO 27019.
  • Understand how risk management and compliance differ from IT.

Practice OT-Specific Security Tools & Techniques

  • Use passive monitoring tools (e.g., Claroty, Nozomi) instead of active scanning.
  • Implement network segmentation (firewall rules, VLANs, DMZ).
  • Understand ICS anomaly detection vs. traditional SIEM solutions.

Study Past OT Cybersecurity Incidents

  • Learn from real-world OT cyberattacks like Stuxnet, Triton, WannaCry in OT, and Industroyer.
  • Understand how IT-based threats evolved to impact OT environments.

Simulate & Test in a Safe Environment

  • Set up a virtual ICS lab using tools like GNS3, Factory I/O, or Digital Twin simulations.
  • Work with Kali Linux ICS security tools for ethical testing (e.g., PLC exploitation labs).

Collaborate with OT Engineers & Operators

  • IT security should work closely with OT teams to understand their constraints.
  • Learn about risk-based security approaches that align with OT safety and operational requirements.

Best Study Methods for OT Security

Certifications & Training Courses

  • GICSP (Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional) – Best for IT pros entering OT security.
  • ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Expert – Focused on industrial control systems.
  • SANS ICS410 (ICS/SCADA Security Essentials) – Covers OT cybersecurity fundamentals.
  • CCPSC (Certified Cybersecurity Practitioner for Critical Systems) – OT cybersecurity.

Hands-on Labs & Virtual Environments

  • Use Cyber Range simulations like INL’s R&D 100, or Hack The Box ICS labs.
  • Experiment with virtual PLCs, ICS malware analysis, and OT traffic monitoring tools.

Books & Research Papers

  • Industrial Cybersecurity by Pascal Ackerman
  • Practical Industrial Control System (ICS) Cybersecurity by Tony Robinson
  • SCADA and Me by Robert Radvanovsky (Intro to SCADA & security concepts)

OT Security Webinars & Conferences

  • Attend S4x, ICSJWG, Black Hat ICS Village, and DefCon ICS for live demos and expert insights.

Participate in OT Cybersecurity Communities

  • Engage with forums like ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance, ICS-CERT, and OT cybersecurity LinkedIn groups.

Recap

OT security is difficult for IT professionals because it requires a mindset shift from data protection to operational safety. However, by gaining hands-on experience, learning industrial protocols, understanding OT-specific risks, and collaborating with engineers, IT professionals can successfully bridge the gap between IT and OT security.


#CPS #OT #XIoT #IoT #IIoT #IoMT #CPSSecurity #OTSecurity #IoTSecurity #CPS보안 #OT보안 #IoT보안

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