From power lines to assembly lines, the world runs on operational technology (OT). In today’s production and operational environments, industry initiatives like smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 are removing the barriers between previously “air-gapped” environments, raising risks for our clients and creating new opportunities for attackers. The rapid pace of business is challenging efforts to safeguard the foundations that enterprises depend on.
Our integrated team of industrial control systems engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and strategists supports customers across critical infrastructure sectors, protecting OT environments, employee safety, and the bottom lines. Booz Allen’s threat-focused approach helps customers identify vulnerabilities, prioritize remediation efforts, and carry out large-scale OT cybersecurity transformations to reduce risk and ensure security, reliability, productivity, and safety.
OT environments are at a crossroads. The speed of business today demands connectivity, yet the prevalence of legacy systems and insecure designs in these environments makes progress risky. More connection increases pathways for attackers to disrupt operations, impacting businesses and critical infrastructure.
The long lifespan and demands of OT environments have resulted in a large number of legacy systems and insecure protocols. While these environments prioritize safety and productivity, they can hinder the ability to leverage traditional IT security tooling and vulnerability management efforts.
The growing pace of business requires business leaders to seek real-time access to process data and greater interconnectivity in their OT environments. Industry initiatives, including smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and digital transformations, as well as new technologies such as AI, 5G, and advanced robotics, are breaking down traditional IT/OT barriers to enable the business, but can also lead to increased cybersecurity risks.
Recent high-profile attacks against OT environments have increased in frequency, sophistication, and malicious intent. Threat actors are increasingly targeting softer OT environments that lack traditional security measures but are known to be critical to business operations.
Securing an organization’s OT environments from today’s threats is an ever-evolving challenge. Booz Allen’s OT cybersecurity experts guide our clients along this journey from building out a multiyear strategy and roadmap, to operationalizing advanced OT security technologies, to supporting our clients as they respond to active threats.
We use a risk-based approach to road mapping, highlighting vulnerabilities with an actionable plan to prioritize what needs to be addressed first to reduce the highest risks.
OT cybersecurity assessments conducted
10 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, 3 of the top oil and gas companies, and 3 of the top global automakers
OT Innovation Hub and 3 OT Cybersecurity Labs
GICSP and GRID certification holders
companies among those supported with OT Cyber
OT threat-focused analytics deployed
credentialed OT cyber professionals
Booz Allen’s OT Cybersecurity Lab supports securing industrial control systems (ICS) and OT in critical infrastructure by providing a testing environment for developing and evaluating new capabilities. The lab replicates real-world equipment and software, enabling testing of products, vulnerability detection, attack demonstrations, and security solution evaluations. It features diverse OT equipment from across industry sectors, fostering innovation and understanding of impacts on client systems. The lab also offers practical training for visitors to experience real equipment operation, learn OT and IT differences, and explore security techniques, addressing the challenge of hands-on training in sensitive OT environments.
Growing connectivity in OT environments increases the attack surface requiring holistic threat detection.
Learn 7 steps to protect factory operations through better cybersecurity and resilience.
