The Current State of OT Security

As industrial environments increase connectivity with external and internal applications and corporate IT networks, critical OT assets are exposed. IT/OT silos hinder the deployment of a cybersecurity strategy capable of mitigating threats in real time. The results can be devastating with the potential to disrupt critical infrastructure, resources, and services serving communities. The 2023 Fortinet State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report found that three-fourths of OT organizations reported at least one intrusion in the last year and nearly one-third of respondents reported being victims of a ransomware attack.

Securing OT with the OT Security Platform

The Fortinet Security Fabric seamlessly enables security for converged IT/OT ecosystems. It also provides an OT Security Platform with features and products to extend Security Fabric capabilities to OT networks in factories, plants, remote locations, and ships. To help alleviate security risks across the organization, we’ve continued to enhance our OT Security Platform offerings. These innovations range from edge products to NOC and SOC tools and services to ensure effective and efficient networking and cybersecurity performance and operation.

Diagram illustrating the makeup of the OT Aware Security Fabric. The OT Fabric is made up of 5 zones: cloud and external zones (a major enforcement boundary), business and enterprise zones (a major enforcement boundary), operations and control zones (a minor enforcement boundary), process control zones (a major enforcement boundary), and safety and protection zones. Fortinet offers products that cover secure networking, zero trust access, and security operations, as well as OT specialized FortiGuard services. The Fortinet ecosystem can also integrate with hundreds of partners that are part of the fabric ready ecosystem.

Purpose-Built OT Solutions

Industrial-grade firewalls, switches, and access points leverage important features and capabilities rated for outdoor use. These features include: dual power supplies with heat sinks, redundant power supplies, and the ability to be mounted on DIN rails. Many products such as FortiSandbox and FortiDeceptor have OT-specific features. FortiEDR can be deployed in a hybrid environment, and deception can mimic HMIs and PLCs.

The Fortinet OT Security Platform

 

The Fortinet OT Security Platform is an extension of the Fortinet Security Fabric, providing a broad, integrated, and automated platform. It includes secure networking, zero trust, network operations, and security operations solutions. AI-powered OT threat intelligence protects against the latest threats. The OT Security Platform naturally provides OT-vendor consolidation and enables IT/OT convergence of critical security resources.

 

 

OT Security Challenges

Most OT environments run legacy systems and protocols that are sensitive to disruption and lack effective security. Industrial environments once built to operate in isolated networks are now connected to the internet, exposing them to all the threats that plague IT networks. In addition, many OT organizations rely on OEMs and service providers to operate and maintain converged IT/OT networks remotely. This adds risk by both expanding the attack surface and inserting the potential for access by bad actors. 

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Lack of Effective Security

Most industrial control systems lack effective security and are sensitive to change

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Expanding Attack Surface

The attack surface for cyber-physical assets is expanding as air-gapping declines

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IT-OT Network Convergence

DX technologies driving IT-OT network convergence open the door to new threats

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Insecure Remote Access

Asset owners' reliance on OEMs and SIs exposes critical systems to additional risks

Enterprise Analyst Validation

2023 Westlands Advisory Platforms Navigator
Westlands Advisory IT/OT Network Protection Platforms. The scatter plot measures companies based on capability positioning and strategic direction. Fortinet is the only company in the top right quadrant of Leaders
Fortinet Named Sole Leader in 2023 IT/OT Network Protection Platforms Navigator™
Fortinet has been recognized as the sole “Leader” in the 2023 IT/OT Network Protection Platforms Navigator™. The OT-aware Fortinet Security Fabric platform includes integrated cybersecurity solutions to protect the wide variety of industrial and cyber-physical systems across the entire Purdue Model. Fortinet continues to increase coverage of regional and vertical regulations and standards and is outpacing average OT market-share growth.
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Features and Benefits

For more than a decade, Fortinet has protected OT environments in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, defense, manufacturing, food, and transportation. By designing security into complex infrastructure via the Fortinet Security Fabric, organizations have an efficient, non-disruptive way to ensure that the OT environment is protected and compliant.

Purpose-Built OT Solutions

Industrial-grade firewalls, switches, and access points leverage important features and capabilities rated for outdoor use. These features include: dual power supplies with heat sinks, redundant power supplies, and the ability to be mounted on DIN rails. Many products such as FortiSandbox and FortiDeceptor have OT-specific features. FortiEDR can be deployed in a hybrid environment, and deception can mimic HMIs and PLCs.

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Specialized OT Threat Intelligence

Fortinet monitors over 70 OT protocols and 500 signatures of known vulnerabilities in OT environments. Dedicated threat intelligence provides an effective way to protect your organization from today’s sophisticated OT-specific threats.

Dedicated OT-Experienced Team

Fortinet’s industrial expertise brings validated support for the unique cybersecurity needs of industries like oil and gas, transportation, energy, power and utilities, and manufacturing. This extends to strategic partnerships with industrial-automation-control vendors. Our dedicated OT professionals bring a combined 100+ years of direct OT experience.

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Broad, Integrated Ecosystem

Fortinet’s open ecosystem approach extends the benefits of the Security Fabric to unique OT Fabric-Ready Partner solutions through Fortinet-developed Fabric Connectors, and to other partner solutions through Fabric APIs and DevOps tools. This provides industrial organizations the ability to integrate industrial solutions with the Security Fabric to attain advanced end-to-end security across their infrastructures.

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