18 MiMfg Magazine March 2017
Benefits of Coordinating IT and OT
A merged IT / OT team has many benefits for a 2017 manufacturer , including :
• Improved processes and response time
• Reduced operating costs
• Better security across the whole business
• Greater safety for the business and its workers
• Greater control over operations
• More reliable compliance tracking and enforcement
• More experienced workers
• Broader and deeper knowledge base for existing threats
• Improved decision making
• More accurate information
• Higher likelihood of long-term satisfaction from clients testing of automated systems and protocols and tests the response time , skills and experience of your team . 3
“ One of the best decisions a small to mid-sized manufacturer can make in 2017 is to have a qualified cyber security firm conduct a comprehensive assessment ,” suggests Maddox . “ This creates a safe method to identify the risks to an organization , the likelihood of those risks , and the potential cost if a breach were to occur . You can receive prioritized steps to improve your security and walk away knowing your whole team is better prepared for the unexpected .”
When vulnerabilities do pop up , the evidence provided by such testing procedures can help you better train your team , closing off available entry points before a hacker can find them .
With so much at stake , manufacturers must realize that a fully formed cyber security strategy looks at both the IT side of the business and the many new vulnerabilities coming to light on the OT side . Technology is accelerating at a previously unheard-of rate , but so is the ingenuity of cyber criminals . There are more threats to your data , processes and products than ever before — don ’ t allow your business to be caught unprepared .
“ It ’ s too great a risk for an employer not to take operational cyber security seriously ,” Maddox says . “ Simply put , proper precautions can be the difference between avoiding or surviving a breach and losing your business altogether . Never believe it can ’ t happen to you .” 6
Brett Gerrish is a communications coordinator with the MMA . He may be reached at 517-487-8533 or gerrish @ mimfg . org . i
US Reported Cyber Incidents by Critical Infrastructure Sector . Department of Homeland Security , 2015 . ii
2015 Cost of Cyber Crime Study , Hewlett Packard and the Ponemon Institute of Cyber Crime , 2015 . iii
What Is A Penetration Test And Why Would I Need One For My Company ? Forbes . com , October 13 , 2013 . iv
The Merging of Cybersecurity and Operational Technology , Cybersecurity Nexus , 2016 .
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