Securing Remote Access in Mining Operations

In this mining operation, corporate users required access to process data and operational views to support business and engineering functions. Historically, this access was provided through , exposing critical OT systems to threats commonly associated with corporate IT environments. This approach significantly increased cyber risk, as most attacks that impact OT environments originate from the corporate IT network.

The new architecture aligns with ISA/IEC 62443 and represents a key step in maturing a dedicated OT cybersecurity program. By minimizing the exposed attack surface and tightly controlling remote access paths, the mining operation significantly reduced cyber risk while still enabling required business visibility.

This approach reflects a core principle of mature OT cybersecurity: protecting process infrastructure without limiting operational effectiveness.