Full Report
Many critical infrastructure operations teams lack the strategy and solution capabilities needed to protect their OT environments.
Analysis Summary
# Best Practices: Secure by Operations Strategy for Operational Technology (OT) Environments
## Overview
These practices address the critical need for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT) organizations, many of whom are experiencing frequent breaches, to move beyond traditional, static IT security measures. The "Secure by Operations" strategy emphasizes embedding cybersecurity proactively and continuously throughout the technology lifecycle, supported by secure configuration and specialized expertise, especially in IT/OT integration scenarios.
## Key Recommendations
### Immediate Actions
1. **Assess Current Monitoring Gaps:** Immediately evaluate the current state of OT cyber threat monitoring, as only 40% of organizations have 24/7 monitoring in place. Prioritize establishing continuous visibility.
2. **Audit Reliance on IT Practices:** Identify security measures currently applied that are derived from traditional IT practices within the OT environment (51% reliance identified) and flag them for specialized OT-aware review.
3. **Acknowledge Executive Risk:** Ensure leadership understands that cyber incidents directly cause service interruptions (51%), revenue loss (49%), and reputational damage (53%).
### Short-term Improvements (1-3 months)
1. **Establish 'Secure by Operations' Framework:** Begin adopting 'Secure by Operations' principles, focusing on proactive, continuous cybersecurity maintenance **post-deployment** rather than just initial setup.
2. **Implement Specialized OT Expertise:** Augment internal security teams by engaging Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) that possess specialized, operationally aware expertise for monitoring, compliance, and response in OT environments.
3. **Address IT/OT Integration Security:** Review and strengthen security protocols specific to the integration points between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments to close known security gaps.
### Long-term Strategy (3+ months)
1. **Integrate Secure by Design and Operations:** Ensure that all new technology deployments adhere to "Secure by Design" principles during integration, which must then be continuously supported by the "Secure by Operations" lifecycle management.
2. **Develop Mature Incident Response:** Focus on improving incident response capabilities to leverage the 53% faster recovery times reported by organizations that have adopted these operational security principles.
3. **Measure Operational Security ROI:** Establish metrics to quantify the benefits of the 'Secure by Operations' strategy, targeting improvements in operational efficiency (45% potential gain), regulatory compliance (44% potential gain), and reputation (50% potential gain).
## Implementation Guidance
### For Small Organizations
- **Prioritize External Expertise:** Due to limited in-house specialized security staff, immediately engage MSSPs to provide necessary 24/7 monitoring and compliance management for critical OT assets.
- **Focus on Quick Wins:** Implement basic, high-impact security controls rather than attempting complex architectural overhauls initially.
### For Medium Organizations
- **Build Partnership Strategy:** Formalize partnerships with external experts to supplement specific gaps (e.g., compliance or response services) while developing internal capability maturity.
- **Phased IT/OT Security Convergence:** Develop a structured plan to safely integrate security oversight between IT and OT teams, focusing first on network segmentation and centralized security visibility.
### For Large Enterprises
- **Lead with 'Secure by Operations':** Fully embed the lifecycle security management model into procurement, deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning processes across all operational units.
- **Invest in Specialized Staffing:** Invest in training or hiring staff specifically knowledgeable in ICS/OT environments to ensure expert management of operational controls and configurations.
## Configuration Examples
*The provided text stresses the *strategy* and *need* for secure deployment guidelines and configurations but does not list specific technical commands or configurations (e.g., firewall rules, specific hardening settings). Organizations should refer to standards like CIS Benchmarks specific to industrial control systems.*
## Compliance Alignment
- **General Alignment:** The approach inherently supports cyber resilience goals related to threat detection, response, and recovery, aligning with global best practices.
- **Framework Implication:** The emphasis on continuous lifecycle management and operational readiness points toward maturity models that track ongoing security posture rather than just initial compliance checks (e.g., NIST Cybersecurity Framework function: **Monitor** and **Respond**).
## Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. **Over-reliance on IT Security Paradigms:** Do not assume standard IT security solutions and processes will adequaltely protect complex, mixed-technology OT environments.
2. **Static Security Posture:** Do not treat security implementation as a one-time project; failure to maintain continuous oversight through 'Secure by Operations' leads to rapid vulnerability accumulation.
3. **Ignoring IT/OT Integration:** Failing to secure the connection points between IT networks (where attacks often begin) and OT networks will negate internal OT security efforts.
4. **Inadequate Monitoring:** Delaying the implementation of 24/7 monitoring will leave organizations blind to ongoing threats, as evidenced by low current implementation rates.
## Resources
- For in-depth, specific tactical guidance, organizations should consult specialized industrial control system security frameworks and vendor documentation referencing "Secure by Design" principles for initial deployment integration.
- Seek partnership documentation from recognized industrial technology providers and industry groups such as the ISA (International Society of Automation) for sector-specific best practices.