My Top 10 OT Cybersecurity Predictions for 2025: A Technical Assessment and Strategic Outlook
As we reach the midpoint of 2025, it's the right moment to revisit the OT cybersecurity predictions I shared in April 2024. Over the past year.
AI in OT Security: Autonomous Aspirations Meet Operational Reality
AI Is Coming to the Control Room—But Are We Ready? Over the past year, I've witnessed a major shift. AI is no longer just a buzzword or a boardroom…
Regulatory Compliance in OT Security: Beyond Checkbox Approaches
In OT, compliance is often treated like the finish line. Pass the audit. Close the gap. Show the evidence. Move on. But anyone who has spent real time around…
In Vendor We Trust? Two Composite Scenarios That Say: Think Again.
The following scenario combines recurring control gaps and does not describe a single customer or site. Composite Scenario: Vendor Media in an "Air-Gapped"…
Building an OT Security Culture — From the Control Room to the Break Room
Why Technology Alone Won't Protect Your Plant You Don't Secure OT with Just Firewalls. You Secure It with People. If the last incident response drill left…
OT Incident Response: It's Not About Speed. It's About Safety.
In IT, incident response is often judged by speed. How fast did we detect? How fast did we contain? How fast did we recover? In OT, that is not enough.
Remote Access in OT: Inevitable, But Never Uncontrolled
Remote access is now part of industrial operations. But in OT, remote access without governance is not convenience. It is exposure.
When Customer Data Is Hit but Power Stays On: Lessons from the Emera breach
By Mohammed Saad | The OT CISO | InnovAKT Power Didn't Go Out—But Trust Did The recent cyberattack on Emera and Nova Scotia Power is a stark reminder: you…
The Human Element: Why People Aren't the Weakest Link—They're Your Strongest OT Defense
From Field Reality to Cyber Resilience We've all heard in cybersecurity: "People are the weakest link." But after decades in the field, working alongside…
Supply Chain Security in OT — Protecting Your Most Vulnerable Attack Surface
“Trust, but verify.” In OT environments, the supply chain is often trusted without question. That needs to change. ⚡ The Hidden Danger — Third-Party Risk in…
The Hidden Face of OT Cyber Risk: Lessons from the Iberian Blackout
The recent blackout that swept across Spain, Portugal, and parts of France — called by some the most significant outage in modern history.
Securing Legacy OT Systems — Strategies for Extended Lifecycles
“We can’t patch it. We can’t replace it. But we absolutely need it to run. ” Welcome to the reality of OT cybersecurity. In industrial environments, legacy…
From Field Instrumentation to Cybersecurity: From ICS Engineering to OT Cybersecurity Leadership
I hear this question often. After two decades in the field—from teaching ICS to undergraduates, to leading instrumentation and control systems at asset-owner…
Making the Case for OT Cybersecurity in a Downturn
Why Business Continuity — Not Risk — Is Your Strongest Argument. Let's be real for a moment: If your cybersecurity proposal starts with "CVE exposure" or…
OT Asset Management: You Can't Protect What You Don't Know Exists
“Do we have a complete OT asset inventory?” If the answer is anything other than a confident yes, your cybersecurity program is already at risk.
Implementing Defense in Depth for Critical Infrastructure Protection: Begin with an assessment. Avoid being misled by silver bullets.
As cyber threats continue to change and grow, organizations are always moving to protect their digital and operational treasures.
The Convergence of IT and OT: Bridging the Gap in Modern Industrial Environments
“We’re converging IT and OT for better visibility and control. ” That's the promise. However, convergence without context can create more risk than…
The OT Security Triad: Why Availability Comes Before Confidentiality
“We’re aligned to the CIA triad. That’s the cybersecurity standard. ” Sure—until you bring that mindset into a facility where uptime is the business, safety…
Why Traditional IT Security Approaches Fail in OT (And How to Fix Them)
"We're just applying our enterprise cybersecurity policies across the board. ” If you've heard this in a meeting, you already know what comes next…
The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025: In-Depth Analysis and Key OT Cybersecurity Predictions
The latest Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 report, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with. Accenture , provides a comprehensive…