Month: April 2025

Operational Technology (OT) environments are integral to our critical infrastructure, and form the backbone to all kinds of industries including manufacturing, transport, and utilities. OT systems are used to control physical processes and machinery. However, while the world of IT has had to adapt in recent years to cope with the growing number of cyber threats, many OT environments are stuck in the past. Much of our critical infrastructure relies on legacy systems that weren’t designed to deal with modern cyber security needs.

Despite the importance of OT environments, these outdated systems are one of the biggest security risks that today’s businesses are facing. From missing updates to a lack of support, legacy technology is leaving businesses around the world exposed to serious vulnerabilities.

Why Legacy Technology Is Still in Use

There are many reasons why businesses are still using legacy technology in their OT environments. For a start, many of these systems are key parts of critical infrastructure, and have been designed to last for years – or even decades. Replacing them can be expensive, time-consuming, and could result in operational downtime. In industries where downtime could potentially be life-threatening, the thought of replacing these systems can be intimidating, even for big businesses or governments. In fact, a report from Dell found that some businesses spend 60 to 80% of their IT budget on maintaining existing hardware and apps instead of updating them.

A lot of older technology was also designed to run in isolated environments. They were never meant to be connected to the internet or integrated with IT systems. However, with digital transformation on the rise, OT environments and IT systems are becoming increasingly connected, leaving legacy technology exposed to new threats it wasn’t designed to deal with.

The Security Risks of Legacy OT Environments

A lot of legacy technology in OT environments lacks even the most basic security features – features like encryption, user authentication, or secure communication protocols. Some will still have default credentials in place, making them easy targets for hackers if they’re able to  gain access. To make matters even worse, vendors will eventually stop supporting these systems after a couple of years, meaning they no longer receive patches or security updates. When new vulnerabilities are discovered, they won’t be addressed, leaving businesses exposed to threats with no way of plugging these gaps.

In addition to this, because of their outdated architecture, legacy systems can often be incompatible with more modern cyber security tools. This makes it harder for security teams to monitor these systems for threats. Tools like endpoint detection and response (EDR) or network segmentation solutions, for example, might not work properly with older infrastructure. On top of that, failure to meet new compliance requirements because of these limitations could lead to fines and legal issues.

Real-World Consequences

The consequences of a cyber attack in an OT environment could be devastating. Unlike IT systems, where the impact could just be downtime or the loss of data, OT breaches can have real-world impacts. Not only can they damage equipment, but they could also put lives in danger.

For example, in 2021 there was a cyber attack on a water treatment facility in Florida. The hacker tried to increase the amount of sodium hydroxide in the water supply, to ‘dangerous’ levels. The breach was only possible because of outdated systems and poor password practices. Although it was caught before any damage could be done, it highlighted the dangers of legacy technology. This isn’t the only such attack – a recent survey revealed over half of businesses around the world suffered an OT security incident in the past year.

Best Practices for Securing Legacy OT Environments

While completely replacing and updating legacy OT environments  would be ideal, it’s not always possible – especially for industries where downtime or costs are too high. In the meantime, there are a number of steps that businesses can take today to protect themselves. Network segmentation is a crucial first layer of defense. This way, you can isolate your most outdated and vulnerable systems from the rest of your network, and limit the spread of a potential attack. 

Implementing strict access controls – like multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, or session monitoring – also ensures only authorised personnel can interact with any critical infrastructure. To reduce your exposure, firms should also deploy OT-aware monitoring tools. These can detect unusual behaviour, even in OT environments where traditional security software can’t be installed.

At Infosec K2K, we also recommend regular risk assessments. These are essential in order to identify which of your systems may be the most vulnerable, and can help you prioritise your resources more effectively. It’s also important to train your staff on cyber security best practices, and to ensure that your incident response plan covers any legacy technology in your OT environments.

Planning for the Future

Here at Infosec K2K, we understand the unique challenges that businesses often face when securing their OT environments. Our experts can help you assess your legacy systems, identify vulnerabilities, and implement tailored solutions designed to protect your operations without resulting in any unnecessary downtime. Your long-term security depends on gradually replacing legacy OT systems with modern, secure alternatives. We – and our network of cyber partners – understand the requirements of OT environments, and can help you to modernise without disrupting your operations.

Transitioning from legacy technology doesn’t have to happen all at once. With phased upgrades and hybrid setups, you can reduce disruption while improving your cyber security posture bit by bit. Whether you need help with risk assessments, network segmentation, or long-term security, we’re here to support your journey from legacy risk to modern resilience.

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.

Like the name implies, privileged accounts are only designed to be used by those who have been granted permission to use these privileges. Since they have more permissions than standard accounts, they can grant access to critical systems and sensitive data, allow users to bypass security controls, and more. It’s no surprise, then, that they’re prime targets for cyber criminals. If they gain access to privileged accounts, malicious actors would be able to move across networks, and effectively wreak havoc.

With the rise of AI and machine learning in recent years, attackers are now able to automate their efforts, which can make these threats more difficult to detect. Traditional security measures alone are no longer enough, which is why businesses are turning to more modern Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions.

The Growing Threat to Privileged Accounts

While privileged accounts are useful, it can be dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands. Attackers target them because they can grant access to all of an organisation’s most sensitive systems, from databases of customer information to critical infrastructure. If compromised, these accounts would allow criminals to bypass security controls and move laterally across networks, completely undetected. Without a strong PAM solution in place, businesses could lose money and have their reputation damaged – and in the case of OT networks, an attack could have physical consequences including injuries and death.

Over the past few years, AI has become far more accessible, and cyber criminals have been quick to adopt it. Last month, 87% of security professionals reported that their organisation has encountered an AI-driven cyber attack in the last year. Criminals are increasingly weaponising AI, and using it to make their attacks more efficient and harder to detect. By using AI-driven bots, criminals can quickly test stolen credentials in huge credential-stuffing attacks. AI-generated phishing emails, meanwhile, have become more and more convincing, and can be used to trick employees into sharing their passwords.

Deepfake technology is also being used to impersonate CEOs or other executives, and manipulate other employees into sharing information or granting them unauthorised access. Just last year, the CEO of WPP was targeted by a deepfake scam that used videos and voice recordings. With these attacks becoming more sophisticated, traditional security measures like passwords are no longer enough to keep privileged accounts secure.

How AI-Powered PAM Enhances Security

If they want to stay ahead of cyber criminals using AI, businesses should, essentially, play them at their own game. We recommend adopting modern PAM solutions that use AI and real-time analytics to detect, and respond to attacks. Unlike traditional cyber security systems, AI-powered PAM solutions – like those offered by our partner, CyberArk – can learn from user behaviour, identifying anomalies that could be signs of malicious activity. They can flag unusual login patterns, detect users accessing sensitive systems without authorisation, and even trigger automated responses – dealing with a threat before it can escalate. Since they’re able to analyse huge amounts of data far faster than a human can, AI-driven security tools can help businesses to proactively deal with threats instead of being left to deal with the repercussions of an attack.

AI-powered PAM solutions can improve your security with Just-in-Time (JIT) access control. This gives you the ability to grant users privileged access for a limited time – and only when it’s actually needed. AI can also adjust users’ access levels based on factors such as their behaviour, and their permissions can be automatically revoked. This makes it more difficult for criminals to exploit the credentials of privileged accounts. Organisations can also use adaptive multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires additional verification from a user, depending on factors such as their location or the file they’re trying to access.

PAM isn’t only useful for controlling who can access your network. They also provide continuous monitoring of your network and automated threat response, helping you stop threats in real time. With these, you can spot suspicious behaviour and revoke users’ access to compromised accounts – even changing their credentials if you need to. AI tools can respond to these threats instantly, helping you to protect your business’ most valuable assets and prevent privilege-related breaches.

Implementing a Strong PAM Strategy

A strong PAM strategy is essential for businesses looking to reduce cyber security risks and protect their critical systems. Here at Infosec K2K, we recommend enforcing least privilege access – in other words, ensuring all of your users only have the permissions they need for their specific tasks. Role-based access control (RBAC) can also help reduce the amount of users with unnecessary access – something often exploited by attackers. Integrating your PAM solution with IAM can also give you a more unified and streamlined approach to your organisations’ identity security.

Automatic password rotation for all privileged accounts helps to reduce the risk of attackers stealing your credentials and gaining unauthorized access. Continuous monitoring and auditing of privileged activity also adds another layer of defense, while AI-driven analytics can detect suspicious behavior in real time. With our managed services, we offer our clients round-the-clock support, so you can rest easy. We also recommend regularly reviewing users’ access, in order to remove any unnecessary privileges.

Adopting a Zero Trust security model can improve your security even more, as this requires continuous verification for all users accessing privileged accounts. Every access request to these accounts is carefully considered and validated before being granted. This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorised access, and helps to prevent privilege-related breaches.

How We Can Help Protect Your Privileged Accounts

Here at Infosec K2K, we provide expert guidance to firms looking to improve their identity security, and our tailored PAM solutions help businesses stay ahead of cyber threats. With AI making cyber criminals’ lives easier, it’s never been more important for businesses to protect their privileged accounts. Unfortunately, traditional security measures are no longer enough. By using modern PAM solutions – like those we offer – organisations can minimise the risk of being hit by AI-driven threats, reduce their attack surfaces, and prevent privilege-related breaches.

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.