EDITOR’S QUESTION
WHA
ARE B
A
NETW
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Intelligent CIO has asked industry experts what sec
are being introduced as IT and OT networks conver
the response from Peter Margaris, Senior Director
Marketing, Skybox Security:
As OT environments continue their
convergence with IT networks, the
need to secure these technologies to
support continuous uptime and safety has
never been more critical. These technologies
are often business critical in many industries
and extend to the monitoring and control
of core infrastructure such as oil and gas
drilling and distribution; energy generation
and distribution; chemical, pharmaceutical
and consumer goods manufacturing;
and many health, building management,
transportation and telecommunications
applications, among others. Failure directly
affects business operations and revenue.
Additionally, because they run essential
systems in critical infrastructure and deliver
responsive capabilities in real-time (such as
meeting surge demand/usage), availability
is a key security concern. OT networks,
therefore, need to be operational at all times.
However, in a digitally-connected age where
technological advances are continuing
apace, traditional safeguards like leveraging
air gaps or creating phys
have all but disappeared
years, OT has been expo
outside risks via remote
data, Wi-Fi enabled cont
devices to update softw
Considering this increas
risk exposure and the cr
OT supports, OT networ
a more attractive objec
breach. This interest is v
availability of productis
searchable sites on lega
and new monetisation o
ransomware specifically
industrial systems.
Let’s be clear: the threat
is increasing. Skybox’s V
Threat Trends Report 20
the volume of new ICS-C
increased by 53% from
with the increasing conv
IT and production OT ne
within both environmen
32 INTELLIGENTCIO