Building a Dedicated OT Cybersecurity Program

In this Oil & Gas operation, OT cybersecurity maturity was low and there was no dedicated OT cybersecurity program. Cybersecurity responsibilities were largely managed by corporate IT resources who had limited understanding of OT systems and operational requirements.

Although no major cybersecurity incidents had been formally identified, plant operations were disrupted by well‑intentioned IT activities, such as patching critical engineering workstations without accounting for OT availability and risk.

The assessment became a catalyst for change. The findings were used to secure budget and executive support for a dedicated OT cybersecurity program, enabling OT teams to own and manage cybersecurity in alignment with operational priorities.

Today, Oil & Gas operations are no longer disrupted by misaligned IT activities, and the OT cybersecurity program is aligned with ISA/IEC 62443, supporting safer, more reliable, and more resilient operations.