Securing the Converged Frontier: Why Integrated Security is Paramount in the Age of IoT and OT
Digital transformation is no longer confined to the traditional IT environment. Critical Infrastructure organizations and manufacturers are increasingly adopting Internet of Things (IoT) technology and digitizing processes to enhance efficiency and reliability. This integration leads to the connectivity of operational technology (OT) systems to the internet and a growing convergence between IT and OT domains. While this convergence offers significant benefits, it also introduces new vulnerabilities and significantly expands the attack surface, presenting a complex challenge for security leaders. The lines between physical security and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly blurred.
The Expanded Attack Surface and Growing Threat Landscape
The sheer number and diversity of IoT and OT devices connected to networks creates a much larger target for malicious actors. Many of these devices, particularly legacy machinery in manufacturing, were never originally designed to be connected to digital networks. This lack of inherent security, combined with weak security protocols and a lack of standardization, makes them susceptible to attacks. Additionally, many OT systems and connected IoT devices are not automatically updated or cannot accommodate traditional security agents.
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Cyber actors are actively exploiting internet-accessible OT assets, and these attacks are escalating in size, sophistication, and prevalence. Threats impacting critical infrastructure include malware, advanced persistent threats (APTs), insider threats, nation-state attacks, and ransomware. Attacks on critical infrastructure providers like Colonial Pipeline and various water treatment facilities have demonstrated the growing vulnerability of this sector. Sixty-six percent of manufacturing firms surveyed in 2019 had experienced an IoT-related security incident. These attacks can disrupt operations, deny critical services, and even cause physical harm. For example, an attack exploiting access controls or manipulating systems like HVAC could render servers inoperable or disrupt critical processes. In healthcare, the proliferation of IoT devices, while improving patient care, introduces unique cybersecurity challenges, as compromising devices like implantable devices could potentially cause harm.
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The Inadequacy of Siloed Security
In this increasingly interconnected environment, traditional approaches where physical security and cybersecurity functions operate in silos are no longer effective. Treating these domains separately means security leaders lack a comprehensive, holistic view of the threats targeting their enterprise. This creates significant blind spots where risks can overlap and converge, hindering the ability to rapidly identify, prevent, mitigate, and respond to complex threats. Insider threats, whether intentional or accidental, pose a significant risk to both physical and cyber domains and are harder to detect and mitigate when these functions are not aligned. An employee with physical access could introduce malware via a USB device, or a third-party vendor could introduce a vulnerability through an insecure device connection.
Towards Integrated Security: A Holistic Approach
Addressing the cyber risks in the manufacturing sector and securing critical infrastructure requires a holistic, end-to-end approach that encompasses people, processes, and technology across both IT and OT environments. This shift demands the convergence and close alignment of security functions.
A framework for aligning security functions emphasizes communication, coordination, and collaboration between cybersecurity and physical security teams. This enables converged security operations, which offer a more robust defense than siloed approaches.
Key Pillars for Integrated Security in the IoT/OT Era:
To achieve effective integrated security, organizations should focus on several key areas, many of which are outlined in prominent cybersecurity frameworks applicable to critical infrastructure and OT:
- Unified Risk Assessment and Identification: It is crucial to identify potential security risks from both an organizational and technical perspective. This includes conducting comprehensive assessments to understand your cybersecurity risks, their business context, available resources, and specifically identifying what systems can impact physical processes and the consequences of system failure. OT security assessments should examine compliance, threats, vulnerabilities, and controls, and provide a comprehensive overview of the security maturity level. This involves collecting documentation, assessing organizational maturity through interviews and physical inspections, and assessing compliance against relevant standards like ISA-99/IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82. Identifying linked assets across cyber and physical systems and assessing the risk level of each asset based on these linkages is a key coordination step towards convergence.
- Enhanced Visibility and Inventory: You cannot secure what you don't know exists. A top priority for manufacturing security professionals is to increase visibility on unmanaged and IoT devices connected to the network. This requires a thorough inventory of all connected devices, from the shop floor to the executive suite, to build policies and implement controls. Tools for discovering internet-facing ICS devices can be utilized.
- Designing a Secure Architecture and Implementing Tailored Security Measures: Integrating cybersecurity features into your architecture is vital. This includes implementing network segmentation (dividing the network into zones and conduits) and hardening systems and network components. Zero Trust approaches, built on the principle that no entity is automatically trusted, are becoming an enhanced objective for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity. Implementing robust "secure by design" policies is fundamental, especially in cloud-based environments. For resource-constrained IoT devices, exploring lightweight cryptographic algorithms like Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is necessary for secure communication with low computational overhead. Secure access procedures and robust identity and access management (IAM) are also critical to control the flow of information and physical access.
- Continuous Monitoring and Detection: Implementing continuous monitoring processes is essential to detect cybersecurity incidents. Effectively monitoring the industrial environment, assets, and connections provides essential input and insight for maintenance. This can involve cyber hygiene assessments, vulnerability scanning, phishing testing, and penetration testing. Leveraging AI and machine learning can help develop more sophisticated models for detecting threats and anomalies in real time. Utilizing Security Operations Centers (SOCs), including specialized OT SOCs, is part of effective monitoring and response.
- Robust Incident Response and Recovery: Organizations must be prepared to take action during cybersecurity events to contain and mitigate breaches, and then restore operations. This requires a defined response and recovery process for each system based on its criticality, maximum acceptable recovery time, and method. Developing and adapting incident response playbooks and participating in tabletop exercises can help prepare teams. Designing systems with redundancy in mind allows for maintenance and patching without interrupting production. Taking regular backups and having a disaster recovery plan are also essential components.
- Workforce Training and Awareness: Educating employees and raising awareness about OT security threats and the risks of unsecured IT/OT connections is crucial. Employee training and awareness are core cybersecurity elements. Training should be tailored to the employee's knowledge level and role. Fostering a culture of vigilance where employees feel comfortable questioning suspicious activity is important for mitigating insider threats. Cross-training IT and physical security teams is also beneficial for a converged approach.
- Adherence to Frameworks and Regulations: Implementing integrated security efforts should be guided by established frameworks and standards such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and its core functions (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover), NIST SP 800-82 (Guide to Industrial Controls Systems Security), IEC 62443 (Industrial automation and control systems security), C2M2 (Cybersecurity Maturity Capability Model), and potentially the NIS Directive in Europe. Organizations should also monitor emerging regulations.
While AI holds tremendous promise in enhancing integrated security, challenges remain, including vulnerability to attacks, integration limitations with legacy systems, and compliance difficulties. Addressing these issues may require consulting with experts.
Conclusion
The increasing use of IoT and OT devices is fundamentally reshaping the security landscape, particularly in critical infrastructure and manufacturing. The convergence of IT and OT environments expands the attack surface and brings physical and cyber risks into direct alignment. Traditional, siloed security approaches are no longer sufficient. CISOs must champion a move towards integrated security functions and a holistic, converged strategy. By focusing on unified risk assessments, comprehensive visibility, tailored security measures, continuous monitoring, robust incident response, employee awareness, and leveraging established frameworks, organizations can build resilience, safeguard cyber-physical infrastructure, and ensure continuity in this evolving threat landscape.
