Industrial Cybersecurity Buyers’ Guide 2024 navigates complex industrial landscape

The sixth annual edition of the Industrial Cybersecurity Technology, Solutions, and Services Buyers’ Guide 2024 has been published with its overarching role to clarify the complex cybersecurity landscape for industrial organizations, aiding them in enhancing their operational safety and security. The Buyers’ Guide serves as a comprehensive resource for industrial organizations seeking to navigate the intricate cybersecurity landscape. By providing clarity and insights, it empowers businesses to strengthen their operational safety and security measures effectively.

A complimentary copy of the Industrial Cybersecurity Technology, Solutions, and Services Buyers’ Guide 2024 is available online for download. The guide also provides a Vendors’ directory across Industrial Cybersecurity Technology & Solutions and Industrial Cyber Guide Services categories.

Authored by Jonathon Gordon, directing analyst at TP Research, the Buyers’ Guide delivers essential updates to the industrial cybersecurity sector. It aims to bolster the security and resilience of industrial operations by focusing on adaptability to evolving threats. By equipping industrial organizations with updated defensive strategies and the latest security tools, including comprehensive incident management, the guide helps them combat sophisticated attacks and ransomware effectively. It also emphasizes the significance of well-defined roles and responsibilities in cybersecurity incident management to enhance organizational effectiveness.

The Buyers’ Guide 2024 fosters a culture of transparency and collaboration within industrial organizations to adeptly manage cybersecurity risks and promote the adoption of cybersecurity measures. It emphasizes regulatory compliance and governance, enabling industrial organizations to align with essential standards for enhanced preparedness against cybersecurity incidents. Additionally, the guide offers strategic guidance for cybersecurity investments, assisting in the selection of tailored solutions and setting priorities to address the distinct challenges faced by industrial entities. 

Drawing from industry insights and analysis, the Buyers’ Guide 2024 highlights how in recent years, the industrial sector has become a prime target for cyber attacks due to the high stakes involved. These changing dynamics have increasingly led to industrial organizations being under increasing pressure to fortify their cybersecurity defenses and stay ahead of evolving threats. It also dives into the evolving global tensions and conflicts, as geopolitics is shaping cybersecurity threats and regulations. 

Adversaries are adopting advanced techniques like supply chain compromises, living off the land (LOTL) techniques, and zero-day exploits bypassing traditional security measures, prompting a shift towards resilient infrastructures, stringent protocols, and international cooperation to combat cyber threats. Such attacks are prompting federal and cybersecurity agencies to respond to the growing complexity and interconnectivity of industrial control systems (ICS), as well as the escalating risk of cyberattacks on essential infrastructure. Globally, regulatory agencies are taking action by creating and revising standards and regulations to improve the security and durability of these crucial systems.

The Industrial Cybersecurity Technology, Solutions, and Services Buyers’ Guide 2024 covers a wide range of topics relevant to industrial cybersecurity, including threat landscape analysis, risk assessment methodologies, compliance requirements, and emerging technologies. It provides an overview of the key challenges facing industrial organizations in terms of cybersecurity and offers practical guidance on how to address these challenges effectively. 

The Buyers’ Guide 2024 explores the latest cybersecurity technologies designed to protect ICS (industrial control systems) and OT (operational technology) systems from cyber threats, including intrusion detection systems, anomaly detection tools, secure remote access solutions, and network segmentation strategies. In addition to technology solutions, the guide also delves into the importance of cybersecurity services in helping industrial organizations strengthen their defenses. Services such as cybersecurity assessments, penetration testing, incident response planning, and security awareness training play a crucial role in building a resilient cybersecurity posture. 

Another developing approach that the Buyers’ Guide 2024 dives into is the evolving role of generative AI in OT/ICS environments and explores how AI is transforming operations in critical infrastructure sectors. It delves into AI’s impact on predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and cybersecurity. Understanding the benefits and challenges of implementing AI in these environments is crucial for informed decision-making.

The guide highlights the increasing focus on secure-by-design/default, emphasizing the integration of security measures from the outset to enhance cybersecurity posture and reduce vulnerabilities. Adoption of Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) and Consequence-driven Cyber-informed Engineering (CCE) approaches help organizations address the rising frequency and severity of cyber attacks on control systems. The proactive approach underscores the need for a paradigm shift in engineering practices to ensure digital infrastructure is resilient against current and future cyber threats. The move will ensure that digital infrastructure is protected proactively and that new systems are built with resilience to modern and future cyber threats. 

The guide delves into the pivotal role of the zero trust strategy in OT/ICS environments, emphasizing security enhancement by assuming network compromise. It enforces strict access verification, continuous threat monitoring, and least privilege access to prevent unauthorized entry, mitigate cyber risks, and protect critical infrastructure. 

The industrial cybersecurity community is strategically exploring optimal applications of zero trust, particularly in remote access scenarios for employees and third-party contractors, enhancing security and operational efficiency. Diverse perspectives on Zero Trust for OT underscore the need for a unified approach to seamlessly integrate zero trust principles with cyber-physical risk management, ensuring collective efforts safeguard productivity, reliability, and security effectively.

The Buyers Guide 2024 also sheds light on the evolving role of the industrial CISO in today’s digital-driven landscape. As organizations increasingly depend on digital technologies to power their operations, the industrial CISO plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the security and integrity of sensitive data and systems. In the face of escalating cyber threats that are both sophisticated and widespread, the industrial CISO must proactively implement robust security measures, conduct regular risk assessments, and promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness across the organization’s IT and OT environments. 

The guide provides insights into the key considerations when selecting cybersecurity service providers and outlines best practices for engaging with third-party experts. Furthermore, the guide highlights the importance of collaboration and information sharing within the industrial cybersecurity community. Threat intelligence sharing, industry-specific cybersecurity forums, and public-private partnerships are essential mechanisms for staying informed about emerging threats and best practices. The guide encourages industrial organizations to actively participate in these collaborative efforts to enhance their cybersecurity resilience. 

Overall, the Industrial Cybersecurity Technology, Solutions, and Services Buyers’ Guide 2024 serves as a valuable resource for industrial organizations looking to navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity and make informed decisions to protect their operations. By leveraging the insights and recommendations provided in the guide, organizations can strengthen their cybersecurity defenses, mitigate risks, and safeguard their critical assets against cyber threats in an increasingly digital world.

Anna Ribeiro

Industrial Cyber News Editor. Anna Ribeiro is a freelance journalist with over 14 years of experience in the areas of security, data storage, virtualization and IoT.