Intrusion prevention
With a high degree of accessibility comes the major danger that most IT systems face on a daily basis: the lack of effective intrusion prevention against cyber attacks.
With a high degree of accessibility comes the major danger that most IT systems face on a daily basis: the lack of effective intrusion prevention against cyber attacks.
Intrusion prevention
Most Operational Technology (OT) systems, such as machine controls, were originally designed with an open architecture. This means that they are freely accessible and that various systems can be easily linked together. This openness offers many advantages: it enables efficient integration and ensures that production processes can be controlled centrally. However, this high degree of accessibility also entails a significant risk: vulnerability to cyber attacks, in which intrusion prevention plays a crucial role.
While IT systems often have extensive security layers, many OT systems lack such protection. This makes them an attractive target for hackers. These weaknesses pose a direct threat to both OT and connected IT infrastructures. Without effective intrusion prevention, these systems remain vulnerable to serious security breaches and cyberattacks.
Despite the increasing threat of cybercrime, there is still insufficient awareness of the risks within OT environments. This is partly because IT and OT teams think differently: IT focuses on security protocols, while OT focuses on continuity and performance. As a result, cyber security in OT systems often does not get the priority it deserves.
In addition, the economic side plays a role. Securing OT requires investments in technology, training and maintenance. Because the direct benefits are often difficult to quantify, such as with an ROI, these measures are sometimes seen as unnecessary.
However, the costs of a cyber attack – think downtime, data loss, reputational damage and recovery – can be much higher than the investment in good security. It is therefore essential that companies focus on intrusion prevention within OT systems and bridge the gap between IT and OT. Only in this way can organizations effectively protect themselves against the growing cyber threat.
De meeste operationele technologie systemen zijn oorspronkelijk ontwikkeld met een open architectuur die samenwerking tussen verschillende machines en platformen eenvoudig maakt. Deze openheid biedt veel voordelen, zoals flexibiliteit, integratie en centrale aansturing van processen. Tegelijk brengt dit een structureel risico met zich mee: een hogere kwetsbaarheid voor cyberdreigingen. Zonder gerichte beveiligingsmaatregelen kan dezelfde transparantie die procesoptimalisatie mogelijk maakt, ook worden misbruikt als toegangspoort voor aanvallen.
In tegenstelling tot IT omgevingen, waar gelaagde beveiliging en continue monitoring standaard zijn, beschikken veel operationele technologie systemen niet over vergelijkbare verdedigingsmechanismen. Oudere installaties draaien vaak op verouderde firmware zonder patchmanagement of netwerksegmentatie, wat ze aantrekkelijk maakt voor aanvallers. Een succesvolle inbraak in één enkel besturingsnetwerk kan zich snel uitbreiden naar gekoppelde IT structuren, met grote gevolgen voor productiecontinuïteit en veiligheid.
Het beperkte bewustzijn van deze risico’s komt deels voort uit het verschil in denkwijze tussen IT en operationele technologie. IT specialisten richten zich vooral op databeveiliging en toegangscontrole, terwijl engineers binnen operationele technologie gericht zijn op uptime en procesefficiëntie. Hierdoor krijgt cyberbeveiliging binnen industriële netwerken vaak pas aandacht nadat een incident zich heeft voorgedaan.
Ook de economische factor speelt een rol. Investeringen in intrusion prevention, netwerksegmentatie, anomaly detection en security awareness training lijken op korte termijn kostbaar, maar de schade door een aanval is veel groter. Denk aan productiestilstand, verlies van data, herstelwerk en reputatieschade.
Een effectieve beveiligingsstrategie voor operationele technologie vraagt om nauwe samenwerking tussen IT en OT teams, met nadruk op risicogebaseerde segmentatie, monitoring en realtime detectie van afwijkend gedrag. Intrusion prevention vormt hierbij de kern. Het identificeert, isoleert en blokkeert bedreigingen voordat ze operationele processen kunnen beïnvloeden. Door beveiliging integraal op te nemen in de automatiseringsarchitectuur kunnen organisaties hun productieomgeving beschermen tegen toenemende cyberdreigingen zonder concessies te doen aan beschikbaarheid of prestaties.
Frequently Asked Questions
IT (Information Technology) focuses on data management, networking, and digital infrastructure, while OT (Operational Technology) focuses on physical processes and machine controls. For example, OT systems control manufacturing equipment, while IT systems handle data storage, analysis, and communication.
OT systems are often designed with a focus on functionality and accessibility, not security. They often lack built-in cybersecurity layers, making them easy targets for malicious actors seeking access to the wider network.
OT and IT systems are often interconnected. If an OT system is compromised, it can provide an entry point into the IT network. This makes the entire system vulnerable to data breaches, ransomware attacks and other cyber threats.
Companies can start by risk assessing their OT environment, segmenting networks to separate OT and IT, and implementing modern security solutions such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Regular training of staff on cybersecurity is also essential.
This is partly due to the different priorities of IT and OT specialists. OT focuses primarily on operational continuity and performance, while IT is more concerned with security. In addition, the ROI of cybersecurity is difficult to visualize, which is why it is often postponed or ignored.
Unsecured OT systems can lead to production downtime, equipment sabotage, data loss and reputational damage. In addition, cyberattacks can cause significant financial losses due to repair costs and lost production. The risk increases as cybercriminals become more sophisticated.
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