Digital transformation creating new security risks

Business strategies around technology are constantly evolving. At the same time fast track digital transformation which includes the integration of information technology systems with operational technology systems could bring potential risk to the enterprises. IT systems are used for data-centric computing. OT systems monitor events, processes and devices, and make adjustments in enterprise and industrial operations. As IT and business fast-tracked initiatives like agile and DevOps to improve speed to market, security considerations were often left in the dust.

There is the traditional physical world composed of machines, electromechanical devices, manufacturing systems and other industrial equipment. Then there is the more recent digital world using servers, storage, networking and other devices used to run applications and process data. These two worlds have largely occupied separate domains, shared little (if any) meaningful data or control, and relied on oversight from business staff with distinctly different skill sets. A survey reveals that 60% of digital businesses would suffer major service failures due to the inability of security teams to manage digital risk.

Today, the worlds of IT and OT are converging. Advances in technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and big data analytics are systematically allowing the digital information world to see, understand and influence the physical operational world. When implemented properly, IT/OT convergence can merge business processes, insights and controls into a single uniform environment. The sudden shift may have helped organisations keep operating, at the same time we can’t ignore the cyber security risk in long-term projects. From a security point of view, that means they can expand the potential attack surface of the organisation -- unless that risk is understood and tackled.

Finally, the fact is the cost of falling victim to a data breach or ransomware attack could cost a business much more than implementing cybersecurity practices ever would. Ultimately, when looking at digital transformation, one of the best ways to help ensure data protection is prioritised to invest in an information security team and involve them in every step of the journey. There might sometimes be tension between the business and information security units, but such integration will ultimately ensure that security is baked into the whole process.