firewalls – Waterfall Security Solutions https://waterfall-security.com Unbreachable OT security, unlimited OT connectivity Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:50:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://waterfall-security.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cropped-favicon2-2-32x32.png firewalls – Waterfall Security Solutions https://waterfall-security.com 32 32 13 Ways to Break a Firewall https://waterfall-security.com/ot-insights-center/ot-cybersecurity-insights-center/13-ways-to-break-a-firewall-ebook/ Wed, 16 Jul 2025 17:21:22 +0000 https://waterfall-security.com/?p=34349 How much protection do firewalls really offer? Get the book to explore 13+ real-world attack scenarios that defeat firewalls and better designs for protecting industrial systems.

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OT Insights Center13 Ways to Break a Firewall

13 Ways to Break a Firewall

Firewalls are a go-to for OT security—but how much protection do they really offer? In this report, we explore 13+ real-world attack scenarios that defeat firewalls, share mitigations for each kind of attack, and look at smarter, stronger designs for (that still include firewalls) for protecting industrial systems.

13 Ways to Break a Firewall eBook

Firewalls are almost always the second technical step taken to secure industrial / OT automation systems. But how much security do firewalls impart?

One way to compare the strength of different defensive technologies and designs is to compare the attacks those designs defeat reliably, vs. the attacks they do not defeat. In this report, we look at firewalls, at attacks that defeat firewalls, and at mitigations, compensating measures and alternatives for and to firewalls.

And yes, the number “13” is a lucky ‘marketing’ number. The report in fact touches on closer to 18 or 19 kinds of attacks/scenarios. 

Get the report to understand:

arrow red right Which types of cyberattacks firewalls can and can’t stop in industrial environments

arrow red right Real-world examples of firewall failures

arrow red right Practical alternatives that strengthen OT security when firewalls fall short

Download now
About the author
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Waterfall team

FAQs About Firewalls

A firewall is a combination of software-based filtering and routing functionality that controls the flow of data between networks. While some firewalls come as hardware appliances, all firewalls rely on software to inspect and make decisions about each network message.

In practice:

  • Firewalls route traffic (e.g., from your home network to the internet)

  • They also filter that traffic based on rules — asking: “Is this message allowed?”

Every modern operating system — including those on laptops and phones — comes with built-in firewall capabilities.

The foundational truths of OT (Operational Technology) cybersecurity are:

  1. Nothing is secure. Security is a moving target — it’s never absolute, only more or less secure.

  2. All software can be hacked. Every application has flaws, and some of those become security risks.

  3. All cyber-sabotage is information. Any flow of information — even seemingly harmless — can be an attack vector.

These laws help shift your mindset toward continuous risk reduction rather than assuming absolute protection.

This free eBook gives you a realistic perspective on firewalls in industrial environments:

  • Learn which types of cyberattacks firewalls are unable to stop

  • Discover real-world cases where firewalls failed to protect OT systems

  • Explore practical alternatives that can enhance security beyond traditional firewalls

If you’re serious about protecting your OT environment, this guide will help you ask better questions — and build stronger defenses.

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]]> 13 Ways to Break a Firewall (and alternatives for OT security) https://waterfall-security.com/ot-insights-center/ot-cybersecurity-insights-center/13-ways-to-break-a-firewall/ Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:06:43 +0000 https://waterfall-security.com/?p=34010 Explore 13+ real-world OT attack scenarios that firewalls can’t stop—and learn smarter alternatives to protect your industrial systems.

The post 13 Ways to Break a Firewall (and alternatives for OT security) appeared first on Waterfall Security Solutions.

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OT Insights Center13 Ways to Break a Firewall (and alternatives for OT security)

13 Ways to Break a Firewall (and alternatives for OT security)

Firewalls are a go-to for OT security—but how much protection do they really offer? In this webinar, we explore 13+ real-world attack scenarios that defeat firewalls, show where firewalls fall short, and share smarter, stronger alternatives for securing industrial systems.

Firewalls are almost always the second technical step taken to secure
industrial / OT automation systems. But how much security do firewalls impart?

One way to compare the strength of different defensive technologies and designs is to compare the attacks those designs defeat reliably, vs the attacks they do not defeat. In this presentation, we look at firewalls, at attacks that defeat firewalls, and at mitigations, compensating measures and alternatives for and to firewalls.

And yes, the number “13” is a lucky ‘marketing’ number. We will in fact touch on closer to 18 or 19 kinds of attacks/scenarios.

In this webinar Andrew Ginter takes us through:

arrow red right Which types of cyberattacks firewalls can and can’t stop in industrial environments

arrow red right Real-world examples of firewall failures

arrow red right Practical alternatives that strengthen OT security when firewalls fall short

About the Speaker

Picture of Andrew Ginter

Andrew Ginter

Andrew Ginter is the most widely-read author in the industrial security space, with over 23,000 copies of his three books in print. He is a trusted advisor to the world's most secure industrial enterprises, and contributes regularly to industrial cybersecurity standards and guidance.
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