EDITOR’S QUESTION
HAMED DIAB,
REGIONAL VP OF MENA, FORESCOUT
Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A +
“
THE RESULT OF
MORE CONNECTED
DEVICES IS THAT
THERE IS ALSO A
HIGHER VOLUME
OF ACCESS
POINTS TO THE
NETWORK AND
THEREFORE
MORE POTENTIAL
ATTACK VECTORS
FOR BAD ACTORS.
The bringing together of IT and
OT on business networks is often
promoted as a key part of the
Digital Transformation process. Remote
maintenance, faster production cycles,
shorter supply chains and, above all, quicker
progression from prototype development
through to the end-product are just some
of the advantages. Couple this with the
introduction of 5G and production processes
will be faster and more interconnected than
ever before.
However, along with its numerous benefits,
connecting IT and OT technology can
also have its drawbacks, especially when
considering cybersecurity and fail-safety.
The result of more connected devices is that
there is also a higher volume of access points
to the network and therefore more potential
attack vectors for bad actors. There are
numerous technologies that detect dangers
in OT networks but many fail because they
cannot keep up with the on-going push
from OT engineers to achieve the most
uninterrupted operation. In the worst-case
scenario, the supposed ‘defences’ can even
create further risks.
When IoT and OT devices gain access to
a flat network, they have the freedom to
move laterally if not properly segmented,
limiting full visibility and creating blind
spots which can be later exposed. Network
segmentation, however, can be dynamic. For
example, by providing a Zero Trust approach
“
IN ORDER
TO ACHIEVE
EFFECTIVE
SECURITY, THE
FULL CONTEXT
OF CONNECTED
DEVICES MUST
BE AVAILABLE
TO REGAIN BOTH
VISIBILITY AND
CONTROL.
across all environments and to all devices,
with different policies for the computer at
the front desk and the CEO’s laptop, the risk
posed by attacks is automatically limited.
CISOs are having a difficult time in providing
this security. Maintaining close control
of their networks and device ecosystem
continues to become more difficult as
IoT and OT devices increase. In order to
achieve effective security, the full context
of connected devices must be available to
regain both visibility and control. From the
data centre to cloud and OT environments,
devices can be given appropriate access
rather than access to the entire network.
28 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com