When it comes to securing operational technology (OT) environments, relying on a single, one-size-fits-all solution just doesn’t cut it. A diversified OT monitoring platform plays a key role in strengthening our cybersecurity defenses by providing clear visibility, real-time threat detection, and proactive risk mitigation. By integrating multiple monitoring tools and technologies, organizations can build a layered security approach that minimizes vulnerabilities, improves response times, and keeps critical systems resilient against cyber threats.
OT environments are complex—often a mix of legacy unsupported industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA systems, PLCs, and IoT devices. I’ve seen firsthand how a single, monolithic monitoring tool can fail to capture the full spectrum of threats across these varied systems. The better approach? A combination of monitoring tools that includes network-based anomaly detection, endpoint telemetry, and behavioral analytics—especially taking into account the OT complexity of proprietary protocols. This layered approach provides a more accurate and complete understanding of an organization’s OT security posture.
✔ Passively analyze OT network traffic and use deep packet inspection (DPI) to maintain an up-to-date OT asset inventory, including critical asset information about device models, firmware versions, and communication flows.
✔ Use the OT monitoring trifecta to:
• Detect unauthorized or suspicious traffic patterns.
• Identify misconfigurations and vulnerabilities in device communications.
• Establish a baseline of normal activity to detect anomalies that signal cyber threats.
A solid OT monitoring platform allows security teams to quickly detect unauthorized remote access, lateral movement, or configuration changes—all red flags that could signal a cyberattack or insider threat. Proprietary protocols pose their own challenges in OT. Diversifying our security approach helps catch threats early by using a mix of detection methods, including:
Signature-Based Detection: Recognizes known threats using established indicators of compromise (IOCs).
Anomaly Detection & Behavioral Analytics: Uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to spot unusual deviations from normal system behavior.
Threat Intelligence Feeds: Correlates external threat intelligence with internal data to identify emerging attack patterns.
✔ Reduce false positives by combining multiple detection methods for a more accurate threat picture.
✔ Prepare for both known and unknown threats—including zero-day exploits and advanced persistent threats (APTs).
The best defense isn’t just about detecting threats—it’s about stopping them before they escalate. A multi-layered OT monitoring strategy doesn’t just react to incidents, it helps prevent them altogether. Some of the biggest advantages of this approach include:
Automated Responses: Some platforms can automatically isolate compromised devices or trigger predefined remediation steps.
Threat Correlation: Bringing together data from network traffic, device logs, and system behaviors gives security teams a full, unified picture rather than disjointed insights.
Predictive Analytics: AI-driven tools can identify trends and potential risks before they turn into real-world problems.
✔ Set up early warning systems that let security teams take preventative action before cyber incidents disrupt critical systems.
✔ Integrate with security information and event monitoring (SIEM) and security orchestration automation and response (SOAR) platforms to automate security workflows and ensure a fast, coordinated incident response.
No monitoring tool is perfect on its own. A diversified OT monitoring platform ensures that security and operational resilience remain intact even if one component fails. By deploying monitoring across different network layers and system components, organizations can avoid the risk of total visibility loss due to a single failure.
✔ Multi-layered data collection: Gather insights from network traffic, endpoints, industrial controllers, and cloud-based security tools.
✔ Redundant monitoring nodes: Place multiple sensors across the OT environment to maintain visibility even if one fails.
✔ Failover mechanisms: If one monitoring system goes down, another automatically takes over to ensure continuous coverage.
One of the biggest protection challenges in OT environments is securing remote access for third-party vendors, maintenance teams, and engineers. An effective monitoring platform should provide full visibility and control over remote access sessions by:
Recording and logging all remote sessions for audit purposes.
Enforcing role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict unauthorized access to critical systems.
Providing real-time session monitoring to detect and flag suspicious activity.
✔ Time-based and approval-based access restrictions limit exposure, ensuring remote connections only happen when necessary.
✔ Every remote session is logged and recorded, capturing commands, keystrokes, and system interactions for forensic traceability.
✔ Immediate intervention capabilities—such as session termination or network isolation—help stop threats before they escalate.
A diversified OT monitoring platform doesn’t just prevent threats—it also helps keep business operations running smoothly. By using predictive analytics, organizations can identify potential system failures before they happen, reducing unplanned downtime and improving overall efficiency.
Traditional maintenance approaches (like fixing equipment after it fails or scheduling routine maintenance regardless of need) can be costly and inefficient. Predictive maintenance, powered by real-time monitoring, helps organizations anticipate problems before they cause major disruptions.
✔ Use predictive failure detection to spot early signs of equipment degradation and schedule maintenance before breakdowns occur.
✔ Optimize performance by identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies in OT systems.
✔ Monitor supply chain and vendor risks to prevent third-party vulnerabilities from compromising our operations.
A diversified OT monitoring platform isn’t just an extra layer of security—it’s a critical foundation for keeping our industrial environments safe, efficient, and resilient. By integrating multiple monitoring tools and methodologies, we can gain better visibility, faster threat detection, and stronger risk mitigation.
This proactive approach doesn’t just reduce vulnerabilities—it strengthens the resilience of our entire operation, ensuring that critical infrastructure stays secure and operational, no matter what threats come our way.
Since 2019 John has designed and developed the extensive OT Cybersecurity Program at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This includes a comprehensive approach based on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and IEC 62443. From asset identification, vulnerability management, threat detection, access controls, architecting an OT segregated environment, building an internal OT SOC, designing a comprehensive process-based disaster recovery program specific to OT, John's OT cybersecurity initiatives have combined to become a formidable defense in this highly critical agency. The PANYNJ includes all the bridges and tunnels connecting NY and NJ, the World Trade Center complex, the PATH commuter rail system, the nation's busiest maritime ports and of course the regional airports: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark.
