From Red Tape to Resilience: How Compliance Drives Secure Remote Access Adoption

Why it’s Time to See Compliance as a Golden Opportunity 

‘Compliance.’ 

The word alone can trigger a collective groan across production floors and security desks alike.  

More paperwork. More boxes to tick. More headaches. 

But what if compliance isn’t just red tape? What if it’s actually your fast-track to fixing long-postponed OT access issues? What if, as Cyolo CEO and former CISO Almog Apirion has stated, “compliance is a gift”? 

Evolving regulatory demands may be forcing the conversation, but they’re also giving OT and security teams the budget, backing, and business case to finally modernize their approach to Secure Remote Access (SRA). 

That means opening the door to better tools, smarter access, and stronger security. 

How Secure Remote Access Fuels Continuous Compliance

As cyber threats become more complex – and more capable of affecting previously isolated OT environments – regulators around the world and across industries are tightening the screws.  

Regulations like ISA/IEC 62443 and NIS2 aren’t here just to make life harder (even if they sometimes do in the short term!). They’re responding to a world where SCADA, PLCs, and other critical systems are increasingly connected and supported remotely, creating new entry points for enterprising cybercriminals. 

With threats rising, regulators now require stricter control over remote access – such as identity-based verification, granular access permissions, zero-trust connectivity, third-party access controls, and detailed logging for full auditability.  

Unfortunately, traditional remote access tools like VPNs, VDI, and jump servers don’t provide many of the capabilities that existing and emerging compliance mandates call for. To enable remote access while also meeting security requirements, industrial organizations are turning to advanced SRA solutions built specifically to support OT needs. 

A 2025 survey by Takepoint Research and Cyolo reveals a strong relationship between compliance and SRA implementation: 31% of EMEA respondents identified compliance as a primary driver of their SRA adoption, while only 19% of North Americans said the same. This is undoubtedly because EMEA faces stricter compliance mandates, including NIS2 for the EU and CAF for the UK.  

That compliance drives SRA adoption is noteworthy but not a huge surprise. Much more interesting is the survey’s discovery that the benefits are reciprocal: 42% of respondents across regions reported that, once in place, SRA helped them to maintain or improve compliance.  

How to Turn Compliance into a Huge Win for OT Operations 

Be honest now: how many of your OT security projects get shelved for being “too complex” or “not urgent enough”?  

The issue typically isn’t recognizing the need – it’s getting the funding. 

Compliance is one of very few factors that can change that. It not only brings executive attention and board-level interest. Crucially, compliance also brings budget. 

With regulators watching, compliance opens doors that would likely otherwise stay shut.  

Suddenly, projects get prioritized and funds get freed up.  

And if an SRA solution can not only help meet compliance goals but also boost operational uptime and productivity, that’s an enormous win for the entire organization.  

The Takepoint Research/Cyolo survey found that SRA has become a unexpected growth engine, leading to much more than security gains. 

After implementing SRA, 

• 67% cited improved third-party collaboration 

• 58% reported better operational efficiency and productivity 

• 50% experienced cost savings 

As just one example, Italian manufacturer Maddalena replaced its costly, inefficient privileged access management (PAM) tool with the Cyolo PRO (Privileged Remote Operations) modern SRA solution and achieved a 100% increase in IT team productivity, plus a 70% drop in operational costs for remote access.  

The bottom line: For executives and board members, adoption of an advanced SRA tool like Cyolo PRO may be primarily about compliance. But for OT and security, the benefits are far greater.  

No more seven-login obstacle courses to reach a malfunctioning PLC. No more flying vendors across the country for a five-minute fix.

Plus, faster response times, fewer support tickets, and full visibility and control over who’s accessing what, where, and when.

These are real, tangible improvements to operational efficiency – and compliance can be the key to making them happen. 

Get Compliance, Control, and Convenience with Cyolo PRO

Compliance pressures are clearly pushing organizations towards smarter, more secure connectivity. And while compliance is often the reason SRA gets through the door, it works both ways – once it’s in place, SRA also helps companies stay compliant. 

This means regulatory red tape isn’t a sticking point – it’s a green light to modernize. 

The Cyolo PRO (Privileged Remote Operations) access solution enables organizations across critical industries to stay secure, satisfy auditors, and keep operations moving – without reboots, rip-outs, or remote access regrets.  

Learn more about Cyolo PRO today.