Imagine an entire plant comes to a halt suddenly. It isn’t because of some power outage. It isn’t because someone wasn’t operating the machinery properly. It was because of a cybersecurity attack.
OT security challenges are on the rise for many industrial systems. Over a decade ago, assembly lines mass-producing manufactured goods, the PLCs running water treatment plants, SCADAs managing energy grids; all worked in isolation. These very systems worked independent of the networks used by everyday business operations and were far less prone to cyber attacks. These systems were protected by air gaps and if someone ever wanted to disrupt the operations, they could only do so by physically walking into the plant!
But so much of that has changed in the last couple of years as industrial organizations race to digitize their operations. Systems have become a lot more difficult to protect. Equipment that once operated in isolation is now connected to IT systems, remote monitoring tools, and cloud platforms. While all of this has made these systems very efficient, it has also made them more exposed to cyberattacks.
The consequences of OT cyberattacks are far more detrimental than conventional cyberattacks. They range from operations halting to worker safety which is why knowing and understanding common challenges in OT security is no longer a back burner IT checkbox, it has become extremely important and deserves special attention from CISOs and industrial organizations.
In this blog, we will go over the key differences between OT and IT security and the 5 common OT security challenges highlighted by our experts repeatedly.
How OT security differs from IT security
The easiest way to understand this is to think of IT security protecting the digital side of things, while OT security protecting the physical side of things. OT security ensures that the systems and technology controlling the physical machinery and equipment are secure, while IT security on the other hand, makes sure that the technology focused on computers and data remains shielded.
The main goal of an IT security system is to make sure information remains accessible, accurate, and confidential. On the other hand, the main task of an OT security system is to make processes are reliable, available, and safe. Patching for IT security systems allows for generally more flexible patching whereas OT security requires planned downtime and sometimes extensive testing.
To minimize risk without disrupting operations, industrial organizations need OT and IT teams aligned around clearly defined responsibilities and measures designed specifically for industrial environments. We’ll cover later in this article how the convergence of OT and IT can create a risk for cyberattacks.
5 Common OT Security Issues
1) Legacy Systems being outdated
Many industrial organizations use machinery and equipment that is old. You’ll come across SCADAs and HMIs that are running outdated versions of Windows. While this equipment might still be able to perform the task properly, their security protection is weak, creating a vulnerability that allows cyberattacks to happen easily.
So, what can you do? Start off by identifying unsupported and old equipment, legacy OT assets cannot always be patched or replaced without affecting the production. Where upgrade is not possible, immediately, organization should opt for the network segmentation, access restriction, and passive monitoring, where feasible and necessary, replace them with newer machinery.
2) Insecure remote access; someone from outside can connect
Remote access is the entryway into an organization’s digital systems. While it makes it easier for engineers and specialists to monitor and control critical plant operations, it is a significant attack path hackers use to get into systems. The danger amplifies when the accounts they hack have access to critical systems and can change equipment settings.
To block this door that they most commonly try to enter, restrict members’ remote access and role-based permissions to what they absolutely need. Have systems in place that only allow authorized devices to connect, on demand. MFA (multi-factor authentication) and regular password updates also go a long way in securing remote access.
3) Poor network segmentation; everything is connected too freely
IT/OT convergence has made everything more efficient but has also connected everything too freely. When network segmentation is not taken into account and executed well, cyberattacks become more common.
Let’s take an example: if an organization has a flat network architecture and the network used by employees, the network controlling industrial equipment, and the server network holding important business data have no adequate restrictions in between them, a hacker getting into the network used by employees could easily get access to the other two networks. This is why network segmentation is extremely important.
OT network segmentation usually separates systems into security zones based on function, criticality, and communication requirements. Frameworks such as the Purdue Model can help structure industrial architecture, while standards like ISA/IEC 62443 zones-and-conduits approach provide a risk-based method for controlling communication between systems. Traffic between enterprise IT and OT environments should pass through controlled security boundaries, commonly including an Industrial DMZ, rather than allowing unrestricted direct connectivity.
4) Visibility blind spots; the organization doesn’t know what’s happening
You cannot defend what you cannot see. According to the Global Industrial Cybersecurity Benchmark 2025, “Nearly 60% of industrial organizations report low to no confidence in their OT/IoT threat detection capabilities.”
One of the most overlooked aspects of OT security is OT monitoring. Industrial organizations are connected to a large number of devices, and it is important to keep an eye on the activities happening through them. Some devices were connected decades ago while some were added during expansion projects or normal maintenance. With time, organizations tend to lose track of all these devices, what systems they are connected to, where they are located, and consequently whether they have any vulnerabilities.
How data flows between these devices can quickly help detect when there’s suspicious activity that might need flagging, but when proper asset inventory is missing from the equation, it gets hard to track this.
To avoid this, industrial organizations need to keep an up-to-date inventory list and deploy OT-aware network monitoring passively at key network point. They should also be aware of what normal activity looks like and ensure alerts remain on for suspicious activity.
5) Low security awareness; workforce doesn’t know what risks
The heart of the matter is cybersecurity isn’t just about softwares and computers. Sometimes people working within the organization can create security risks if they aren’t well informed.
Some industrial organizations make the mistake of thinking OT cybersecurity knowledge is important for just one team dedicated to it. They tend to forget that every individual working for the organization needs to be aware of how to create security risks for the organization.
Colleagues sharing passwords, clicking on suspicious links received via emails, sharing codes and information on calls, connecting unapproved devices to critical systems, and approving remote access without authentication are all common ways where low security awareness of the workforce causes the risk of a cyberattack.
According to The Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, nearly 60% of breaches involve some sort of human element.
What can you do to prevent this? Train your entire workforce regarding realistic cyberattacks and ask them to report anomalous activity if they ever come across it. Establish well-defined guidelines regarding deceptive phone calls and phishing emails, new and removable media devices, and password security.
Remember, you can only go so far with the latest technical security tools and software. Your workforce needs to be well trained and well versed with all the cybersecurity best practices. Make training practical, not theoretical.
Conclusion
As industrial environments become increasingly connected, the answer isn’t simply applying conventional IT measures. It’s to make sure that the security approach you’re taking underscores the realities of industrial operations where safety, and reliability is just as integral as protection against cyber threats.
By controlling and monitoring access and networks, securing and digitalizing legacy systems, improving visibility organization-wide, and regularly training your work staff can reduce the risks tremendously.
When all is said and done, you should always remember that effective OT security requires collaboration between IT and OT teams, a continuous effort to protect the systems, and informed leadership.
Where We Come In?
If you have problems testing for patches, segmenting IT and OT networks, or implementing new security approaches to secure your OT networks, we can help! Contact us now to book your assessment with us.
