OT security: Why it matters and how you can stay protected

Operational technology (OT) environments such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, and utilities are the backbone of industrial operations. Yet, these environments are increasingly vulnerable, as legacy systems, flat networks, and limited visibility create fertile ground for cyberthreats. According to Fortinet’s 2025 OT Cybersecurity Report, 46% of organizations have reached Level 4 maturity, but threats like ransomware still impact a third of OT environments.

That figure is staggering and suggests that the arms race between organizations and threat actors is far from over. With the convergence of IT and OT, organizations like yours must defend against new risks. Here’s how.

Why OT security matters

OT systems were never designed for internet exposure; many lack basic security controls like patching, segmentation, or identity management. The result? A growing attack surface with limited defenses.

Disruptions in OT environments can halt production, compromise safety, and cost millions in downtime. Regulatory pressure is mounting, with agencies like CISA and NSA releasing joint guidance on asset inventory and defensible architecture for OT environments. Regulatory bodies and cybersecurity experts are urging organizations to adopt structured asset taxonomies, segmentation strategies, and proactive vulnerability management.

Attacks are increasing and targets are shifting

A key takeaway from the IBM X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index is that “Manufacturing is the #1-targeted industry, four years in a row” for ransomware. In fact, the report finds “manufacturing had the highest number of ransomware cases in 2024 as attackers continue to exploit outdated legacy technology in this industry.”

Chemical, Pharma, and food and beverage are leading manufacturing subgroups, making these important industries likely targets of a breach.

While healthcare and construction have historically had a higher percentage of OT-related breaches than manufacturing over the past 10 years, the Dragos OT Security Financial Risk Report finds that both have a significantly lower likelihood of a breach compared to the manufacturing sector. This may indicate better security controls and preparedness in these sectors, forcing threat actors to target different groups.

The federal government has introduced new OT regulations

The 2023 attacks on U.S. water and wastewater systems triggered CISA advisories and led to stricter OT regulation. In 2024, the White House issued National Security Memorandum-22, mandating a new risk management cycle and paving the way for the 2025 National Infrastructure Risk Management Plan, which prioritizes cross-sector resilience and stricter cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure.

Fortinet finds that, in 2025, 52% of organizations now place OT security under the CISO. Meanwhile, 77% of respondents to Palo Alto’s OT report expect increased regulation over the next two years, signaling a shift toward board-level oversight and integrated security governance.

How can SHI improve OT security?

With a significant amount of OT environments under threat and with regulatory requirements knocking on your door, what can you do to build a more resilient OT security strategy?

At SHI, we’ve built our OT security framework on three core pillars: visibility, segmentation, and resilience.

1. Visibility: We conduct comprehensive OT security assessments that include passive and active asset discovery, network mapping, and protocol analysis. This helps you identify unmanaged devices, legacy systems, and insecure communication paths.
2. Segmentation: Using Purdue University’s model as a foundation, we design segmentation strategies that isolate critical OT assets from IT networks. This includes VLAN planning, firewall placement, and policy enforcement to minimize lateral movement and blast radius.
3. Resilience: We help implement vulnerability management programs tailored to OT environments. This includes patch analysis, firmware tracking, and integration with platforms like Dragos and Nozomi for threat detection.

Our cybersecurity experts leverage decades of industry experience to ensure your unique operations stand up against evolving threats. We’re uniquely positioned to help secure your OT environment with vendor-neutral solutions backed by deep in-house expertise in ICS, SCADA, and industrial protocols. Our trusted engagement includes:

• Security Posture Reviews (SPRs).
• Architecture briefings, workshops, and architecture reviews.
• Site-by-site recommendations and implementation roadmaps.
• Optional secure remote access evaluations using agentless gateways.

Through Stratascale, our cybersecurity services division, we also deliver OT security assessments, retainers, evaluations, and scalable integrated services such as managed detection and response (MDR).

Our experts strive for every engagement to measurably improve visibility, segmentation, and risk reduction. Organizations that work with us gain:

• A complete inventory of OT assets and communication flows.
• Reduced risk of ransomware and insider threats.
• Improved operational continuity and safety.
• Enhanced compliance posture and stakeholder confidence.

OT security protects critical systems and, in turn, aids business continuity and resilience. By combining vendor-neutral design, deep OT expertise, and integrated services that scale, we empower organizations like yours to reduce risk, improve visibility, and strengthen segmentation across critical environments. The result? A proactive, outcome-driven approach that bolsters OT against evolving, sophisticated threats.

NEXT STEPS

Ready to see for yourself how we can help fortify your operational technology? Contact our experts today to learn more.