OT Cybersecurity (Operational Technology), also called industrial cybersecurity, is the protection of systems that control and supervise physical infrastructure and industrial processes. Unlike IT cybersecurity, which protects data and information systems, OT cybersecurity protects the equipment that keeps your factories running, your electrical grids operational, your water treatment stations functioning, and your production lines moving.

These Systems Include:

  • SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): Centralized supervisory platforms
  • PLC/Programmable Logic Controllers: Controllers that operate machines
  • DCS (Distributed Control Systems): Distributed control systems
  • HMI (Human-Machine Interface): Operator interface systems
  • SIS (Safety Instrumented Systems): Safety systems
  • RTU, Historians, Industrial Protocols: (Modbus, Profinet, OPC UA, DNP3)

Why is OT Cybersecurity Critical? Because a cyberattack on OT doesn’t just steal data—it can halt production, damage equipment, endanger human lives, and cost millions in downtime. 40% of OT cybersecurity incidents result in operational shutdown.

With 70% of OT systems now connected to IT networks and the internet, the attack surface is exploding—yet these infrastructures were never designed for exposure. OT cybersecurity has become a strategic priority for all critical and industrial infrastructure operators.