This year, nearly three-fourths of operational technology (OT) professionals suffered intrusions that affected OT systems in some way, up from 49% in 2023.1 In 2024, more OT systems are being breached while organizations feel bigger impacts to brands, operations, and productivity. OT can be integral for many verticals, but specifically the industrial, healthcare and commercial spaces.
What is Operational Technology (OT)?
Operational Technology refers to the hardware and software used to monitor and control physical devices, processes, and infrastructure in various industrial sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, energy and utilities.
Terms You Need to Know
To fully understand the impact of OT, it helps to understand a few key technologies that play into its configurations and help it perform its job:
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
The fundamental building block of factory and process automation. A specialty purpose computer, including input/output processing and serial communications, used for executing control programs, especially control logic and complex interlock sequences. PLCs can be embedded in machines or process equipment by OEMs, used stand-alone in local control environments or networked in system configurations.2
Industrial Control Systems (ICS)
An information system used to control industrial processes such as manufacturing, product handling, production, and distribution. Industrial control systems include supervisory control and data acquisition systems used to control geographically dispersed assets, as well as distributed control systems and smaller control systems using programmable logic controllers to control localized processes.3
Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
In a control system, DCS refers to control achieved by intelligence that is distributed about the process to be controlled, rather than by a centrally located single unit.4
Internet of Things (IoT)
A network of physical objects and devices that contains embedded technology to communicate and sense or interact with their internal states or the external environment.5
Operational Technology (OT) vs. Information Technology (IT)
There are significant differences between OT and IT. The primary ones are that OT systems are autonomous, isolated, self-contained and run on proprietary software. In contrast, IT systems are connected, lack autonomy and typically run on popular operating systems like iOS and Windows.
The line between operational technology and information technology security is being blurred by OT systems introducing connected devices and the prominence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and industrial IoT (IIoT), which connects devices, machines, and sensors and shares real-time data across organizations.
One of the most significant differences between OT and IT cybersecurity is the environment they operate in and serve to protect. OT cybersecurity safeguards industrial environments, which typically include ICSs, DCSs, PLCs, and communication across industrial protocols.
Conversely, IT cybersecurity safeguards common devices like desktop and laptop computers, keyboards, printers, and smartphones. It secures everyday environments like the cloud and servers using standard solutions like antivirus and firewalls.
What’s Next?
If you have any questions about operational technology or are interested in understanding how TD SYNNEX and its vendors can provide useful solutions for all your OT needs, reach out to our team at CyberSolv@tdsynnex.com.
1. Fortinet. Fortinet Report: Threat Actors Are Increasingly Targeting OT Organizations. June 18, 2024.
2. Gartner Glossary. PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). Accessed August 1, 2024.
3. National Institute of Standards and Technology Resource Center. Industrial Control System (ICS). Accessed August 1, 2024.
4. National Institute of Standards and Technology Resource Center. Distributed Control System (DCS). Accessed August 1, 2024.
5. Gartner Glossary. Internet of Things (IoT). Accessed August 1, 2024.