Unlocking success with OT security
This blog has been written by Rebecca Hopwood-Keay, Direct Marketing Manager for Secure Networks, at Nasstar.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly, operational technology (OT) security has become a critical component for organisations looking to protect their assets and enhance productivity. As businesses converge their IT and OT environments, the need for robust cyber security solutions has never been greater.
This blog explores the tangible benefits of adopting OT security platforms, highlighting real-world success stories that demonstrate a significant return on investment (ROI), productivity efficiency, and enhanced security.
The importance of OT security
"Operational technology (OT) encompasses the hardware and software that detect or cause changes through direct monitoring and control of physical devices, processes, and events." says Rebecca Hopwood-Keay, Direct Marketing Manager at Nasstar.
The convergence of IT and OT systems is crucial for optimising performance, enhancing security, and enabling real-time data insights, driving innovation and smarter decision making. However, as organisations introduce new digital tools and technologies, the complexity of security challenges grows.
To mitigate these challenges, several platforms offer a solution. At Nasstar, we’ve partnered with Fortinet and their OT Security Platform to offer a comprehensive solution, enabling secure networking, zero-trust capabilities, and advanced threat protection for converged IT/OT environments.
The benefits of OT Security
OT security offers several benefits to businesses, and integrating IT and OT systems is the key to enhancing operational efficiency. By enabling real-time data analytics and predictive maintenance, downtime and maintenance costs can be reduced.
Rebecca said: "Operational technology security strengthens your security posture by creating a unified approach to cyber security, effectively identifying and mitigating threats to both digital and physical assets. This convergence leads to significant cost savings and improved threat management."
ROI and productivity efficiency
1. Consolidated networking and security - Organisations that have adopted the Fortinet OT Security Platform report significant time savings and increased efficiency. By consolidating their networking and security solutions, they streamline operations and reduce the complexity of managing multiple systems. This consolidation leads to improved network reliability and reduced training, triage, and new user setup times.
2. Improved user experience - Enhanced visibility and control over OT environments results in better user experiences and satisfaction. With centralised management and monitoring, organisations can quickly identify and address issues, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operations.
3. Cost savings - Centralised management and streamlined operations translate to cost savings. Organisations can reduce expenses associated with infrastructure and maintenance, while benefiting from the long-term value of their security investments.
Enhanced security
1. Increased visibility and control - Implementing OT security solutions provides greater visibility into network devices and traffic. This visibility is crucial for identifying and mitigating threats, ensuring organisations can protect their critical assets from cyber attacks.
2. Advanced threat protection - The Fortinet OT Security Platform offers AI-powered threat intelligence and zero-trust networking capabilities. These advanced features safeguard against the latest cyber threats, providing robust protection for both IT and OT environments.
3. Compliance and regulations - Operational technology security solutions help organisations adhere to industry regulations and standards, such as NERC-CIP and NIS2. By ensuring compliance, organisations can reduce the risk of penalties and enhance their overall security posture.
Real-world success stories
While OT security may sound like another annoying consideration for your technology strategy, it’s important to understand exactly how it can help your business thrive and plan for the future. To illustrate the benefits of adopting operational technology security solutions, we’ve pulled together some industry case studies to help you visualise where it could support you.
- Challenges: Network reliability, lack of access controls, aging infrastructure.
- Solutions: Next-generation firewalls, secure switches, endpoint detection and response.
- Outcomes: Improved network efficiency, increased security, and better alignment of networking and security teams.
2. Healthcare
- Challenges: Lack of security for IoT/OT devices, flat networks with open access.
- Solutions: Secure networking infrastructure, centralised monitoring.
- Outcomes: Enhanced protection of IT and OT resources, streamlined guest access, and improved physical security systems.
3. Energy
- Challenges: Expanding attack surface, insufficient connectivity, high management costs.
- Solutions: Secure SD-WAN, centralised management, network segmentation.
- Outcomes: Reduced connectivity costs, increased security and visibility, simplified hardware ecosystem.
How Nasstar can help
As organisations continue to modernise and converge their IT and OT environments, the need for robust OT security solutions will only grow. The Fortinet OT Security Platform offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to protecting critical systems and data. By adopting these solutions, you can unlock significant ROI, enhance productivity, and ensure the security of your operations.
If your business is looking to enhance its operational technology security, consider exploring the Fortinet OT Security Platform with its proven track record and advanced capabilities. Speak to our team today to learn how this platform and our Fortinet partnership can help you achieve your security and operational goals.
