Operational Technology Security Manager

OT Security Manager

As an OT Security Manager, you play a critical role in protecting your organization’s operational technology (OT) systems and ensuring business continuity. Without secure and reliable OT infrastructure, production can halt, leading to significant financial and reputational losses. We understand the pressure you face—keeping systems safe from cyber threats while managing operational demands is no small task. Many companies invest in various cybersecurity solutions, hoping for a “silver bullet,” but complete security remains an unattainable goal.

However, as an OT Security Manager, you can take strategic steps to strengthen your defenses while optimizing costs. Implementing proactive security measures not only reduces cyber risks but also improves overall operational efficiency. By focusing on risk-based security strategies, network segmentation, and continuous monitoring, you can enhance resilience and ensure long-term success. Cybersecurity isn’t just about protection—it’s about enabling safe, uninterrupted operations that drive business growth.

How Asset Visibility Solves OT Security Manager Nightmares

One of the biggest challenges in OT security management is asset visibility, particularly when it comes to agent installation. As an OT Security Manager, you don’t have the same flexibility as IT teams at HQ, who can deploy multiple agents on their endpoints. Instead, you often deal with legacy systems incompatible with agent-based solutions or new assets whose manufacturers prohibit any software installations. This leaves you at a dead end, struggling to maintain visibility into your network.

This is where physical layer visibility comes to the rescue. Every asset connected to your network has a unique physical layer fingerprint—its sheer existence generates distinct parameters that, when properly analyzed, can reveal the asset’s identity. This passive, non-intrusive approach requires no agent installation or traffic monitoring, making it protocol-agnostic and ideal for diverse OT environments, including Food & Beverage IT/OT systems. With physical layer asset visibility, maintaining a comprehensive OT inventory has never been easier.

Traffic-based Solution with False Positive Alerts

Traffic-based OT security solutions come with significant constraints, the first being limited visibility. Imagine playing “hide and seek” blindfolded, relying only on sound—you’ll only find players who make noise. Similarly, if an asset isn’t generating detectable network traffic, how can you know it exists? This is where physical layer data provides a game-changing advantage. The mere fact that an asset is physically connected makes it identifiable, eliminating blind spots in your security strategy.

The second constraint is protocol dependency. Many solutions analyze and validate network traffic, but critical communications may use proprietary or uncommon OT protocols. Expecting a solution to recognize every variation is unrealistic, leading to false-positive alerts that create unnecessary panic. And if there’s one thing you hate, it’s chasing a security alert only to discover it was just a “blip.”

Third, traffic monitoring introduces security risks. Sharing your traffic with a third-party solution means sensitive OT data is exposed. Even with a trusted vendor, your cybersecurity now depends on their security posture—which may not meet your standards. This can feel like a double-edged sword, increasing risk instead of reducing it.

So, if there’s a way to eliminate these constraints… well, by now, you already know the answer.

Any Unknown Device Is a Rogue Device Until Proven Otherwise

As the saying goes, you can’t protect what you don’t know. Yet, as an OT Security Manager, it’s your responsibility to minimize the unknown and ensure every asset in your OT infrastructure is accounted for.

Unless proven otherwise, any device in your OT infrastructure you’re unaware of is a rogue device. Why? If you can’t answer the following questions – what is this device? Is it vulnerable? When was it first connected? When was it last seen? – then you can’t guarantee that it will not disrupt your operational continuity. It’s always the one you’re unaware of that comes to bite you.

This is where physical layer visibility comes in. By providing real-time awareness of every connected asset, it eliminates blind spots and brings you closer to achieving 100% operational continuity.

Cybersecurity Needs Are Straining the Budget (and the CFO)

Remember that time you came back from Costco carrying huge packets of pasta, only to realize that you already had four packs waiting in the pantry? And that it was, in fact, rice that you were missing? You curse yourself, wishing you had a complete inventory of all your food items so that you could’ve bought what you actually needed and not what you thought you needed?

Cybersecurity doesn’t always have to give the CFO grey hairs. It can actually save the company money by providing an accurate asset inventory. When you know the exact number of a certain PLC or HMI from a specific vendor, you can better manage your budget, verifying that you buy licenses according to the precise number you need; knowing exactly how many PLC’s you are going to retire next year; and negotiating on the correct type of maintenance and support agreement.

Who would’ve thought that an OT security manager could be liked by the finance department?

Drowning in OT Risk and Compliance Requirements?

Whether due to regulations or cyber insurance policies, you’re required to prove your compliance level—and that’s no small task.

Complete asset visibility, device identification and risk scoring are the foundations for many popular regulations. So, once you have ultimate visibility and control measures in place, you can already check several compliance items off the list, freeing your attention to other challenging requirements. So rest easy, OT Security Manager—you’ve got this.

OT Security Manager: Take Control of Your Asset Risk

Gain complete visibility of every known and shadow asset in your OT environment. Prioritize threats, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance with confidence. Talk to an expert today to see how Sepio’s patented technology can help you take control of your OT asset security.

August 4th, 2022