Is your shop floor as secure as you think it is? Innovation in the manufacturing world has made IT-OT convergence much more commonplace today, but is the industry taking the potential risks seriously enough?
In this episode, we hear from Fortinet’s Director of Marketing for OT Solutions, Rich Springer, about the real threats facing manufacturers within OT networks, and why effective OT security is a non-negotiable today…
Rich brings bags of experience to the table, from his early days in furniture and glass factories to his time as a Navy submarine officer and later as the global head of SCADA operations for a major wind turbine company. He shares how these experiences shaped his understanding of the unique cybersecurity challenges facing the manufacturing sector.
Painting a picture of how an OT threat can bring production to a standstill, Rich recommends that manufacturers use tabletop exercises to assess risk points and their impact on the whole production line. Rich also explains that part of protecting your OT network is about getting IT and OT teams to work together, and he gives practical advice on how to bridge the gap.
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3 Quick Things from this Episode
- 48% of manufacturers are conducting audits and assessments related to OT security, according to a recent report from Fortinet. While there’s still a way to go, this is a positive signal that more people are recognizing the importance of OT security.
- Tabletop exercises are crucial to helping your team understand the potential threats in your organization so you can work on practical steps to protect your team and resources from cyber threats.
- Instead of sitting on two different sides of the issue, IT and OT security teams need to work together. Especially if your drive on OT security is new, IT can bring a lot of wisdom to the table to make sure an organization’s security is a top priority that everyone’s aligned on.
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Tweetable Quotes
- “The separation of duties should be decided on the tabletop exercise, not when the fire is burning.”
- “The technology has evolved. So therefore, it has made this air gap strategy a little less realistic over the years. And this is a common challenge.”
- “When the systems go down, they go to paper. So if the line hasn’t stopped, what happens with our suppliers if we have to go paper? Take your tabletop exercise to that level.”
Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode
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What We Discuss with Richard
- Rich explains Fortinet’s position on OT network security
- We hear about Rich’s diverse career background and how his previous roles prepared him for his role at Fortinet
- The current state of OT convergence and why companies are yet to take action
- Rich breaks the misconception that air gaps will protect manufacturers from digital threats
- Advice for better collaboration between IT and OT teams
- Rich explains why he’s optimistic that manufacturers are paying attention to the right things in security
- What the report says about manufacturers and their approach to OT systems today
- What it takes for cybersecurity experts to get executives to pay attention to the threats facing OT
- How to run a tabletop exercise to assess threat and impact on production
- What surprises Rich most about cybersecurity in manufacturing today
Recommended Resources
- Advancing Digital Transformation in a Time of Unprecedented Cybersecurity Risk, a report on how digital transformation in manufacturing has driven a widespread need for cybersecurity awareness
- 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report, Fortinet’s report on OT cybersecurity
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