when we talk about OT security what exactly do we mean we're talking about protecting operational technology or OT which includes any network connected non-it devices this can include things like building sensors HVAC systems energy and utilities equipment medical devices or manufacturing equipment since these devices are connected to the network they're vulnerable to attacks from hackers creating major safety risks or financial risks for businesses how can you keep these devices secure unfortunately there's no single solution that can fully protect OT devices it isn't as easy as purchasing some software and letting it run in the background instead it takes a combination of people processes and Technology to make sure these devices remain safe think of it like a safety net and for your OT security safety net to be truly effective it needs to consist of three components assessment monitoring and response assessment is the ongoing process of understanding a device's potential risks through the entire device's life cycle have the devices default password's been changed does it have the latest software updates is there sensitive data stored on the device that needs to be deleted before the device is decommissioned assessment measures the likelihood of future security issues and helps teams prepare to prevent them monitoring is the ability to see real-time feedback from OT devices in a comprehensive asset inventory while assessment reveals potential future risks monitoring shows what's happening right now monitoring tools are a crucial part of the safety net because they show security events in real time and can quickly alert teams to any abnormal activity response is the ability to address security threats in a timely way a team with exceptional response capabilities is able to rapidly deploy the right resources to solve any OT security issue to do this they need to have an inventory that integrates with their monitoring tool and functions as a single source of Truth for all of their devices that way instead of having to make guesses they have all the necessary information right at their fingertips like the device's location its maintenance history its make and model and more this allows them to quickly identify what a threat is who is qualified to address it and how fast it needs to be remediated and ideally a team should also have a work order system in place that sets all this in motion automatically this three-pronged safety net combines the people processes and Technology necessary to keep OT devices secure and accessible at all times and when people's safety or critical business operations are on the line having a system like this in place can make all the difference [Music] foreign