Strategy to Execution
Converging IT and OT is more than just modernising technology. Companies are struggling to embrace the changes required to move from strategy to execution. In particular, businesses in the resources sector are wanting to take advantage of the efficiency gains that come from greater integration between OT and IT systems and automation, but ensure it is done in a way that is safe, secure and compliant with regulations.
Business Risk
Industrial networks were not originally designed to be connected to the internet and security was often not considered during development and design. Key challenges include:
- Knowing what the risks are and gaining total visibility of assets to know exactly what needs protecting and why.
- Establishing security policies, standards and governance that are specific to their business and industry needs.
- Defining and creating appropriate response plans in the event of a cyber attack or network compromise.
- Ensuring that there is no loss of control in automated process environments.
Cyber-security
Securing integrated IT and OT environments from both inside and outside (intentional or non intentional) threats is a challenge. Safeguarding environments is paramount to mining and oil and gas; their people, infrastructure and operations, the environment, and their reputation depend on it.
Governance
Companies need to ensure that processes and technology implementation are not only compliant but go beyond the safety standards laid out by regulatory authorities.
Team Skills
Many organisations and their IT and OT teams are at the beginning of the security journey and often seek the services of an outside provider.
Integration
Integrating the disparate worlds of IT and OT can be challenging. Core to a successful integration program is one that is strategy led and results in the alignment of technology platforms that allow for iterative and repeatable processes. Organisations are seeking to integrate systems across all their operations to support growth and future relevance across their value chain.
Asset Visibility
Getting a current state of assets across an organisation is often disparate with no overarching process control. This makes visibility and future planning for end of life devices difficult as asset registers give little insight into redundancy and forecasting requirements.
