OT Cybersecurity, if not done right, becomes a nuisance instead of a true safeguard. Often, the operators and the end-users struggle to maintain their deployed OT Cybersecurity systems, leading to the critical questions: Is OT Cybersecurity truly enhancing Operational Safety? Is it protecting lives on the plant floor? Is it contributing to a safer environment and community?
For decades, people working in the OT environment have remained highly cautious about Operational and Functional Safety. Focusing on safe and effective management of facilities to prevent harm to people, the environment, and the community. Operational Safety is all about keeping things simple, ensuring that everyone understands how to operate safely and effectively manage emergencies.
Safety and security are inseparable; there can be no true safety without security, and no security without safety. In the OT environments, this relationship becomes even more critical as OT systems are inherently complex, involve physical components from various vendors, diverse communication protocols and unique operational demands. To navigate this complexity, Operational Safety is intentionally kept as simple as possible, ensuring rapid and effective responses when it matters the most.
On the same lines, OT Cybersecurity should be kept as simple as possible to ensure it integrates seamlessly with the Operational Safety, without complicating emergency responses. Not every facility requires an advanced intrusion detection system, and not every operation needs two-factor authentication. Just as there are no one-size-fits-all solution for Operational and Functional Safety, OT Cybersecurity follows the same rule and must be tailored to the specific needs of each environment. Sometimes, the most effective solution might be as simple as conducting a cybersecurity awareness session or updating an existing operating procedure.
Unfortunately, many vendors intentionally introduce complexity into the OT Cybersecurity to promote their products and services. This approach can undermine the very foundation of Operational Safety, especially in critical infrastructure environments. Overengineering cybersecurity for the sake of sales not only adds unnecessary costs, but it also introduces risk. In OT environments, simplicity isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Overly complicated systems can delay or disrupt safety responses during emergencies.
To truly fulfill its purpose, OT Cybersecurity must be seamlessly integrated, user-friendly, and resilient. Only then can it serve its true purpose of protecting people, processes, and the planet.
