CIOs must be clearly aware of the consequences of combining Operational Technology (OT) devices, which frequently work in isolation, with other IT technologies; thus, companies are diving deep into IoT security concerns.

Nearly half of OT service providers are moving forward to form major relationships with IT-centric providers for IoT products by 2020. However, this integration comes at the expense of security.

Threats to OT security are increasing at an alarming rate.

Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority stated in August 2019 that hackers had shut down crucial infrastructure networks. Unlike the ordinary breaches or thefts, this attack was on a far larger scale, aimed at the OT department.

The majority of OT hardware and software devices that monitor or manage physical equipment deal with computer technology that is unrelated to the IT sector. Many appliances are being brought online as entrepreneurs seek information from OT devices in order to change and enhance the manufacturing process. This causes issues with adapting to the new environment, as well as the OT security issues that come with it.

Issues that have arisen in the past

OT solutions were never designed to provide the same level of security as IT devices because they were supposed to work in isolation.

Previously, their operators relied on an existing air gap between their device networks, but such gaps no longer exist. Furthermore, the IT infrastructure is not yet ready for the large number of OT devices that will be entering the network. The IP/TCP protocol, which is 45 years old, was designed largely for connectivity rather than OT security. The confluence of OT and IT has increased the attack surface enormously, raising the risks.

Traditional security solutions were built to defend smaller, simpler networks that connected servers to endpoints. These would be updated on a regular basis when new security flaws were uncovered. Because traditional OT devices are often less secure than IT endpoints and therefore more difficult to patch or update, these flaws have a significant impact. In addition to data exfiltration, they enable remote control of vital infrastructure. It’s no longer just about losing data; it’s also about losing control of operations.

According to experts, conventional VPN layers and firewalls only safeguard north-south network traffic, such as incoming internet connections, but leave east-west communication unprotected. This means that once hackers have gained access to a network, they can quickly intensify their attack and gain complete control of the system. When typical security technologies are utilized, the resulting network becomes overly convoluted – and complexity is always to the hacker’s advantage, as it provides more options to exploit.

New ways to protect yourself

The Internet Engineering Task Force looked into the dangers of using TCP/IP with a host identity protocol (HIP). It’s an IPv6 and IPv4 compatible trust protocol that only replies to approved and authenticated connections, effectively enforcing micro-segmentation.

Changing an entire network of devices may necessitate substantial updates, which can be costly and time-consuming. And throughout this procedure, the highest focus should be given to security.

IoT continues to expand, and businesses will see more value in connecting their devices to the internet and reaping the benefits of automation, analytics, and data collection. However, because existing systems are unprepared for this, CIOs must be aware of the new difficulties that OT security brings, as well as how to address them.

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