Cisco: AI can help security challenges created by IT/OT integration

Cybersecurity issues are dogging organizations that are looking to meld operational technology (OT) systems with their enterprise IT counterparts. AI-based security products are poised to transform industrial networking, but it won’t happen overnight, according to a new study from Cisco.

The 2024 State of Industrial Networking Report was conducted with Sapio Research and surveyed 1,000 industry professionals across 17 countries. Among the top concerns of large OT organizations are cybersecurity challenges and the growing use of AI technologies, Cisco reports.

The industrial landscape is undergoing massive transformation, and OT networks are converging with their enterprise IT counterparts, according to Keith Higgins, head of the product and digital marketing teams for Cisco’s industrial IoT portfolio. Converging OT data with IT systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES), can create a comprehensive view of a production process and ease management of OT networks. However, such convergence creates a complex and dynamic environment that can increase an organization’s vulnerability exposure.

“The report highlights a growing concern for OT cybersecurity across all industries. Industrial networks, traditionally air-gapped from the outside world, are now increasingly connected, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. A backlog of legacy systems and assets, an expanding attack surface, and an overstretched workforce are exacerbating the problem,” Higgins wrote in a blog about the study.

The main problems companies face are vulnerabilities in legacy systems and outdated software (cited by 41%), and malware or ransomware attacks specifically targeting operational technology (40%), the study found.

Cybersecurity risks are the biggest internal barrier to growth of industrial networks, according to survey respondents. “A significant portion of respondents (89%) cited cybersecurity compliance as very or extremely important. This reflects the global need for robust security solutions specifically designed for the unique needs of industrial environments,” Higgins wrote.

Another major challenge for organizations running industrial infrastructure is dealing with AI, which has the potential to transform industrial networking.

Nearly half (48%) of respondents cited AI as the emerging technology that will have the most significant impact on industrial networking over the next five years. For example, 49% of respondents anticipate better network management across both IT and OT utilizing AI tools, and 46% expect AI to improve collaboration between OT and IT teams. 

“AI is poised to play a transformative role in industrial networking, with the ability to automate tasks, improve network performance, and predict potential issues before they disrupt operations,” Higgins wrote. “Participants further stated that AI in industrial networking would be a spending priority in the same time period, which further indicates the urgency to prepare operational networks for the highest value AI use cases.”

AI might also be a double-edged sword, however. While AI offers OT benefits such as process optimization and threat detection, bad actors are also using adversarial AI techniques to turn the technology against firms, Higgins noted.

Some other notable items from the report:

• More than a third of respondents (36%) say they are increasing collaboration between IT and OT teams. Aligning potentially siloed functions will be crucial to overcome technology deployment inefficiencies and cybersecurity risks, according to the report.
• 41% of firms said their IT and OT teams are working independently on cybersecurity.
• 83% have no plans to reduce the number of vendors they work with, indicating a preference to optimize existing technology rather than attempt to shed and consolidate platforms.