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The post The Airgap Is Not Enough: The Failed Security Perimeter Paradigm in OT Networks appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Operational technology (OT) electronics and networks for manufacturing, energy production, and virtually every other industrial application, are targets for cyberattacks. For infrastructure-related companies, such as power producers, transportation, and water plants, the OT networks are not only the revenue producers, but also important targets for destabilizing national security. Successful attacks can be destructive and costly, but the cost of the tools, training, and rigor to secure systems is also high.

What Is an Airgap?

An inexpensive perimeter defense solution to secure OT networks has become prevalent: Isolate the network from the internet with an “airgap” or a unidirectional communication device that blocks incoming communication and thus cyberattacks. With an airgap in place, other cybersecurity measures, such as the application of security patches, are no longer perceived to be necessary, reducing costs. In practice, the airgap solution is insufficient.

The airgap defense is not a new or revolutionary idea.…

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