
IT Remote Access VS. OT Remote Access
Outline comparing key differences between remote access used in an IT environment, and remote access solutions that cater to an industrial OT environment
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Outline comparing key differences between remote access used in an IT environment, and remote access solutions that cater to an industrial OT environment
Almost 10 years ago, I managed to take control of every appliance in a 200-room hotel. I could raise the blinds in each room, change the TV channels, adjust the outside lighting, modify the temperature settings, and more. I had complete control. In the years since, to my surprise, the number one question I was asked wasn’t “How did you do it?” but rather “With the control you had, what’s the worst thing you could have done?”
The engineering profession has powerful tools to address physical risk, tools that should be applied to OT cyber risks much more routinely than they are today. For example: mechanical over-pressure relief valves prevent boilers from exploding for any reason, cyber attack or otherwise. These powerful tools are too often neglected for cyber threats because they have no analogue in IT security – they not even mentioned in most cybersecurity standards, regulations and advice.
Waterfall’s HERA is a true interactive OT remote access with unidirectional protection for OT. How does it work?
Remote access for OT is vital for maintaining efficiencies, troubleshooting, and is also important for retaining remote workers. But most remote access solutions pose a range of security risks. We introduce HERA – Hardware-Enforced Remote Access – as a safer alternative.
It turns out that there are really only three ways that ransomware can shut down OT networks and physical operations: “abundance of caution” shutdowns, OT dependencies on IT systems and services, and ransomware impacting OT networks and systems directly.
Manufacturing, vital yet risky, faces a growing threat: criminal ransomware. Waterfall Security Solutions’ 2024 Threat Report reveals a spike in ransomware attacks, causing severe disruptions in the industrial sector. Over half of the 68 recorded attacks in 2023 targeted manufacturing, resulting in costly shutdowns. With incidents nearly doubling yearly, plant operations will continue to see more downtime. However, the report also highlights key areas for improving OT cybersecurity, building resilience, and maintaining competitive operations.
Running water and working indoor plumbing are a basic necessity for modern cities. Most of us take for granted that the tap gives us water and that the water goes down the drain when we are done with it without giving it much thought.
For forty years now, we have automated physical operations with computers in the name of increased operating efficiencies – deploying ever more targets for cyber attacks.
What happens when we close the loop in mining operations? How can we prevent Internet-exposed services being compromised?