Month: March 2025

Bridging the Gap Between IT and OT Security Teams

Traditionally, IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) security teams have operated separately within organisations. The two teams often have their own set of priorities and tools, tailored to IT and OT networks. However, as cyber security continues to evolve, and cyber threats grow more sophisticated, the lines between IT and OT security are beginning to blur. There are new threats to watch out for, and today’s organisations need to embrace a security strategy that bridges the gap between IT and OT security.

The Need for Collaboration

In the past, IT teams have been concentrating on protecting data, networks, and digital systems. OT teams, on the other hand, have focused on ensuring physical devices and industrial control systems are operating safely. Over the past few years, however, things have changed. The rise of IoT, automation, and digital transformation has meant that modern OT systems are becoming increasingly connected to IT systems. This has opened up businesses to more vulnerabilities, and exposed them to more risks – criminals are now targeting IT and OT systems at the same time.

The need for a close relationship between IT and OT teams is clear – a breach in an IT network could easily spread to OT systems, disrupting critical operations and causing financial and operational damage. At the same time, a successful attack on OT systems could give criminals a way into IT systems that would have otherwise been completely secure.

What Are The Challenges?

While the risks of a more siloed approach are clear, there are a number of challenges preventing IT and OT security teams from working together. For a start, the two teams have long had different priorities. While IT security mainly focuses on keeping data safe, accurate, and accessible, OT security is more concerned with making sure that physical systems are running safely, reliably, and efficiently. When it comes to OT environments, keeping systems up and running is crucial, as downtime can be expensive – or dangerous.

Since these teams have different priorities, this has led to different security approaches. IT security teams concentrate on protecting software and networks using tools like firewalls, encryption, and antivirus programs. They will always try to use the latest tools and make sure that everything is patched and as up-to-date as possible. OT security teams, on the other hand, keep industrial systems running safely by using specialised protocols like SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) to monitor and control equipment. Many OT systems rely on legacy technology, which may not work well with more modern IT security tools.

If OT systems are integrated with IT infrastructure, then the risks of cyber threats spreading between the two can be amplified. For instance, a successful phishing attack on an employee’s workstation could give the hacker access to sensitive data within the IT network, but it could also be an entry point to compromising the OT network. If security isn’t up to scratch, then integration turns into a vulnerability rather than a strength. To address these risks, businesses need to foster collaboration between IT and OT security teams, and there are a number of ways they can do this.

Establish Shared Objectives

The first step in bridging the gap between IT and OT security teams is to establish some common goals. Both teams share the responsibility of protecting the organization’s critical assets, whether that means safeguarding machinery or customer data. For example, IT and OT teams should work together to agree on what constitutes a ‘critical system’ in their organisation. While IT systems are important for handling data, OT systems control physical operations. As these systems are interconnected, teams need to coordinate their efforts to protect both and stop cyber attacks from spreading.

Implement Integrated Security Tools

Another effective strategy is to use integrated security tools that can offer visibility and protection across both IT and OT environments. Traditional IT security tools such as firewalls – while helpful – aren’t always suitable for protecting OT networks. Instead, organisations should invest in security solutions that are designed to protect all kinds of networks.

With centralised monitoring, threat detection, and incident response capabilities, an integrated SIEM system can protect both IT and OT systems. It can provide real-time alerts on any suspicious activity, so security teams can quickly identify and deal with potential threats. Businesses should also consider cyber security solutions that address the unique needs of OT environments, such as tools that can monitor SCADA systems.

Share Knowledge

To create a more unified security approach, IT and OT teams should educate each other. IT security professionals need to understand OT systems better – and at the same time, OT security experts should learn more about IT infrastructure and tools. Regular joint training sessions, workshops, and exercises can help to build trust and strengthen their working relationship. Forming a security team with members from both teams could also help to improve ongoing communication and coordination.

Develop Unified Incident Response Plans

A key step in closing the gap between IT and OT security teams is making sure that your business has a shared incident response plan. In the event of a cyber attack, both teams will need to work together to respond quickly and effectively. If you have a clear, well-practiced plan in place, this will help everyone understand their roles, reducing confusion and delays. By involving both teams in developing and implementing this plan, organisations can respond to threats quickly and efficiently.

The need for collaboration between IT and OT security teams is more important than ever. Cyber threats are no longer confined to just IT or OT systems, and businesses need a unified approach to their cyber security. Bridging the gap between your IT and OT security teams isn’t just best practice – it ensures your digital and physical assets are as protected as possible.

Whatever solution you’re looking for, we can help. The experts at Infosec K2K can offer you specialist guidance, and help you find the product that’s the best fit for you.

Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.

SIEM’s Role in Modern Security Management

Modern businesses have to put up with an onslaught of cyber security challenges every day – whether they’re facing increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks or making sure they’re keeping up with new regulatory requirements. In order to manage security risks, organisations need tools that can give them real-time visibility of their network, as well as threat detection and response capabilities. That’s where Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) helps. In recent years, SIEM systems have grown to become an indispensable part of modern cyber security, helping firms to monitor and respond to new threats more efficiently than ever before.

The Evolution of SIEM

SIEM solutions have evolved significantly since the early 2000s, when they were first used. At first, SIEM systems were designed simply to collect and store security logs from various sources, which was mainly for compliance purposes. However, as cyber threats became more and more complex, SIEM platforms expanded their capabilities, giving users abilities such real-time threat detection, analytics, and even automation to help security teams respond quickly and effectively to any threats.

Modern SIEM solutions now make use of machine learning, behavioural analytics, and AI to find anomalies and deal with potential threats before they escalate. Instead of simply collecting logs, today’s SIEM tools correlate data from multiple sources, apply threat intelligence, and give users actionable insights, helping organisations to deal with threats in real-time.

Threat Detection and Visibility

SIEM systems play a key role in enhanced threat detection and response. They allow businesses to monitor security incidents in real time, across firewalls, endpoints, cloud services, and more. By identifying suspicious patterns, SIEM systems help to detect potential breaches, insider threats, and other cyber risks. Whenever a threat is identified, SIEM can automatically trigger alerts, prioritise risks, and even initiate incident response actions, reducing the time it can normally take to detect and contain cyber threats.

Another advantage of SIEM is its ability to give users more visibility across different environments – something especially important as organisations rely on cloud services, remote work solutions, IoT devices and more to do their business. With a centralised security dashboard, SIEM systems allows businesses to monitor activity across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments – all in one unified view. This level of visibility helps security teams quickly identify vulnerabilities, detect anomalies, and respond proactively to any threats they might find.

Enhancing Compliance and Visibility with SIEM

These days, businesses in all kinds of industries and sectors need to adhere to strict regulatory requirements such as GDPR, NIS2, and the EU’s AI Act. SIEM systems make it easier to comply with these by automating log collection, storing data, securely, and generating detailed reports. With the help of built-in reporting and forensic analysis capabilities, businesses can avoid legal penalties, pass audits, and protect their reputation as well as their data.

SIEM systems also incident response through automation. With the help of Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools, businesses can handle security incidents efficiently. By automating tasks such as blocking malicious IPs, SIEM can reduce response times and make things easier for cybersecurity teams. By adding threat intelligence platforms like DomainTools to your SIEM, you can connect security events with real-time data from across your network, making it easier to spot potential risks faster, and cut down on false alarms.

Infosec K2K’s Commitment to Seamless Security

Here at Infosec K2K, we’ve partnered with leading cyber security providers to offer our clients the best tools to protect their digital assets. LevelBlue offers advanced SIEM solutions. Their scalable, cloud-based security monitoring adapts to businesses’ growing needs, while their AI-powered analytics accurately detect cyber threats. They also offer seamless integration of third-party tools, offering you expert insights and a faster response to incidents – all from a centralised platform.

Infosec K2K also works with DomainTools, a leader in threat intelligence. By integrating DomainTools with your SIEM systems, you can get access to real-time domain reputation scoring, and detect and block malicious domains before they can become a threat. Their threat intelligence, meanwhile, improves the accuracy of SIEM alerts and reduces the number of false alerts. By combining SIEM with external threat intelligence, your business will be more proactive and stay ahead of cyber risks.

Why SIEM is Essential for Today’s Businesses

With cyber threats becoming more advanced all the time, businesses can’t afford to rely on reactive security measures. SIEM systems, on the other hand, provide a more proactive approach, helping organisations detect threats early on and respond to them before attackers cause damage. With continuous monitoring and automated response, businesses can reduce security risks while getting full visibility into cyber security incidents across their network. 

Modern SIEM solutions and cyber security tools – like those from LevelBlue and DomainTools – offer advanced threat detection, real-time visibility, and automated incident response, helping businesses stay ahead of cyber threats and streamline their cyber defences. By investing in the right tools, businesses can strengthen their defences, protect their data, and minimize the impact of cyber incidents. For businesses looking to enhance their security, Infosec K2K can offer expert guidance on selecting and using the right SIEM and threat intelligence solutions.

Whatever solution you’re looking for, we can help. The experts at Infosec K2K can offer you specialist guidance, and help you find the product that’s the best fit for you.

Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.