In industrial environments, we’ve moved past the “what if” phase of cybersecurity. The risk is now structural. We aren’t just looking at potential bugs; we’re looking at a fundamental mismatch between how systems were built (reliability first) and how they’re now being used (connected to everything).
The Skills Gap Isn’t a Training Issue; It’s a Cultural One
The biggest hurdle isn’t just a “shortage” of security people; it’s that the people actually turning the dials, the operators and engineers who were never hired to be security analysts. Their priority is keeping the plant running. Expecting an OT engineer to manage a modern threat model while they’re focused on safety and uptime isn’t just difficult, it’s a design flaw in our organizational structures.
The Connectivity Paradox
We’re seeing a massive push for IT–OT integration driven by the C-suite. Everyone wants “real-time analytics,” “remote vendor support,” and “centralized monitoring.” These deliver massive efficiency, but they also turn a localized incident into a global one. We’re punching holes in the air gap to get data out, often without putting the necessary guardrails back in.
Why “Just Patch It” Doesn’t Work in OT
In IT, a failed patch means a rebooted laptop. In OT, a failed patch can mean a multimillion-dollar production line goes dark or, worse, a safety system fails.
- The Legacy Debt: We are still seeing Windows XP and other unsupported platforms in critical roles.
- The Certification Trap: You can’t just update the OS if that update hasn’t been certified by the OEM. Doing so might void your warranty or, in regulated industries, invalidate your entire safety certification.
EDR: Not a Silver Bullet
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is great in an office, but it’s a headache on a shop floor. You can’t just push a “silent update” to an EDR agent and hope it doesn’t decide a critical PLC communication driver looks like “malicious behaviour.” This leads to “version lock-in,” where the security tool itself becomes a legacy risk because it can’t be updated without risking a plant shutdown.
The Human Element: Privileged Access
We’ve seen EDR fail not because the software was bad, but because of basic operational habits. If an operator logs into a Level 3 workstation with Domain Admin privileges just because “it makes things easier,” a simple LSASS dump becomes a catastrophic event. It’s a reminder that no amount of expensive tooling can fix a culture of convenience over security.
The Overlooked Backdoors
Despite all the talk of sophisticated nation-state actors, the most common threats are still the most boring ones. USB usage, email access at Level 3 / 3.5, and connectivity from Level 3.5 down to Level 2 and below in the Purdue Model continue to introduce pathways that bridge business and control environments, often without sufficient segmentation or monitoring.
The Solution
OT security isn’t solved by quick fixes, it requires expertise, visibility, and governance designed for industrial environments.
Help AG partners with organizations to secure OT operations without compromising safety or uptime. From segmentation and monitoring to risk-aware access controls, we help bridge the gap between operational realities and cybersecurity best practices.
Contact Help AG and get in touch with our experts today!
