Third-party access to OT environments must be secured with identity-based, least-privilege controls rather than broad network access to reduce ransomware, supply-chain risk, and operational disruption.
Traditional vendor access methods like VPNs often struggle under real plant conditions. This article outlines a practical, OT-ready approach to reducing third-party access risk while protecting uptime and operational control.
As AI data centers take on the role of critical infrastructure, they face increasing cyber and operational risks. Learn why OT dependencies and legacy access models make them a high-value target.
As AI takes greater control of cyber-physical systems (CPS), cyber incidents can now quickly escalate into physical damage, safety failures, and large-scale operational disruptions. Systems that once relied on human oversight – from industrial control systems and robotics to smart infrastructure and autonomous operations – are increasingly operating at machine speed, with real-world consequences when something goes wrong. This timely new Gartner® report outlines the most serious emerging CPS threats and offers recommended approaches for how organizations can protect critical operations as AI becomes even more embedded in operational environments.
Cascading risk is a new reality of our connected, vendor-dependent world. Uncontrolled third-party OT access leads to cascading risk, but identity-based, least-privilege access can reduce exposure without disrupting operations.
AI is reshaping OT cyber risk. Secure remote access with identity-based access control and real-time visibility is key to protecting industrial operations in 2026 and beyond.