OT security: the ‘air gap’ is a myth and resilience must be designed

In an interview with Help Net Security, Benjamin Bachmann of Bilfinger explains that attackers are increasingly aiming to control industrial operations rather than merely steal data. The idea of the air gap, according to him, is largely a myth because the interconnection between IT and OT makes the boundaries less clear-cut than they used to be. For this reason, defense must also include visibility into legacy equipment, containment plans already negotiated, and a clear assessment of the cost of downtime. The issue is relevant because in the industrial world the impact of an attack is not only data loss, but production stoppage, physical risks and enormous economic damage. OT resilience therefore becomes a strategic choice, not a simple technical activity.

Sources

• The air gap is a myth and other OT security truths — Help Net Security
• Industrial cybersecurity, OT security becomes a strategic choice — Agenda Digitale — Cybersecurity