Two root causes drive the ICS cybersecurity deficiency: a critical shortage of skilled workers and a siloed approach separating operational technology (OT) security from information technology (IT) security. Gartner projections show over 209,000 unfilled U.S. cybersecurity positions in 2016, up 75% from 2015, while integrated OT/IT security solutions remain largely absent across industrial sectors.
The truth is that while the need for cybersecurity is very apparent, enterprise and industrial networks alike are still often managed without a cohesive security strategy. And, even after many years of being an acknowledged problem, integrated solutions are not in sight. What’s the reason? Well first and foremost is a lack of expertise in the workforce. Secondly, today’s technologies have focused on modularized solutions for either the enterprise network or the industrial environment; without paying attention to the integration between the two.
How Bad Is the Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage?
The leading cause of the ICS cybersecurity deficiency is a shortage of skilled workers. According to 2017 Gartner projections, more than 209,000 cybersecurity positions went unfilled in the U.S., a figure up 75% from the year before. Globally, that number exceeded one million. Even major banks, energy companies, and governments struggled to recruit qualified professionals. The same 2017 Gartner data projected that the cybersecurity market would grow from $75 billion in 2015 to $170 billion by 2020, widening the gap between demand for security solutions and the talent available to manage them.
Innovative cyber tools must lead the way by automating learning of baseline behaviors, network monitoring, and cybersecurity management so that few may do the work of many, for both corporate and Industrial Control System (ICS) security.
Problem #2: “OT or IT? Siloed Cybersecurity Doesn’t Work.”
While the staggering number of unfilled jobs speak for themselves, technology is partially to blame for the cybersecurity deficiency that many companies and governments face today. This is especially true in non-enterprise sectors such as utilities, oil and gas and industrial manufacturing.
In my career in both industrial and enterprise networking, I have had the privilege (and pain) of seeing cybersecurity addressed from two divergent spaces. From both directions, cybersecurity has been shortsighted by an approach that limits the focus to the reach of each group’s network domains. The reason for this shortcoming is that both the industrial automation space (OT) and the enterprise software space (IT) are being forced to connect with one another in terms of solutions delivery, operations management and customer outreach; but security integration has not always followed suit.
Why Do OT/IT Integration and Automation Matter for ICS?
Closing the ICS cybersecurity gap requires combining automated anomaly detection with proactive threat remediation across both OT and IT domains. Industrial Control Systems (ICS) form the backbone of critical infrastructure in transportation, water and wastewater, and energy sectors. Threat management must reach endpoints throughout the industrial network, including sensors, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), data loggers, and human-machine interfaces (HMIs). Automated machine learning and artificial intelligence tools can reduce manual workload, allowing fewer security professionals to secure larger and more complex environments.
When it comes to cybersecurity, less attention needs to be paid to the categorization of OT vs. IT, and more on holistic integration between the two. Leaving ICS without highly-scalable, automated, real-time cybersecurity visibility means that many of our largest industries and government services will continue to be vulnerable to cyber threats.
The good news is that innovative ICS cybersecurity solutions exist that help reduce the cybersecurity labor gap by using automated Machine Learning and rapid evaluation of data using Artificial Intelligence. Such tools meet the unique needs of securing industrial networks and processes yet integrate with IT security infrastructure to bridge the OT/IT divide.
When looking for ways to secure industrial networks be sure to seek solutions that address the ICS cybersecurity deficit by reducing manual work, simplifying security processes and integrating with your organization’s overall security systems.
The article was written by Thomas Nuth, Director of Product & Solutions at Nozomi Networks. He has an extensive background in Industrial IT, middleware and software technologies. Thomas brings a unique vertical perspective of OT/IT applications of security and networking technology.
