Device security in critical infrastructure encompasses a range of cybersecurity measures aimed at protecting enterprise endpoint devices. In critical infrastructure organizations, business-related devices such as PCs, laptops, mobile devices, and tablets need protection against numerous cybersecurity threats and unauthorized access. Furthermore, device security in critical infrastructure OT environments is linked to the IT environment and must be secured collaboratively. Effective device security methods typically rely on strong authentication, endpoint device management, and network access control.
Why is device security important in critical infrastructure?
The rapid pace of technological advancement has led to an increase in cybersecurity threats, particularly for enterprise endpoint devices. Critical infrastructure organizations utilize a wide variety of information technology and operations technology (IT, OT) devices that are interconnected and interact within complex networks. The rise of remote work, BYOD policies, and diverse business device options has also brought with it threats such as malware, unauthorized access, phishing attacks, and insecure Wi-Fi networks.
What Should an Organization’s Device Security Strategy Be Like?
Human Factor
Users with direct access to devices are a key factor in a device security strategy. Employees should be trained to ensure they fully understand threats such as data phishing and leaks, and how to avoid risky behaviors.
Zero Trust Approach
Device security in enterprise applications should include a zero-trust security principle. Zero trust is a cybersecurity model that assumes no device or user can be trusted by default, even if they are connected to an authorized network. The concept behind this philosophy is to adopt the “never trust, always verify” principle, moving away from traditional trust-based assumptions.
Leading Technologies
Technologies designed to protect enterprise devices from cyber threats are applicable to different use cases. Traditional security technologies are not always successful. It’s crucial to choose leading technologies to achieve higher detection rates and implement stricter security policies. Multi-scan technology uses over 30 antivirus engines to detect 99% of threats before they infiltrate any endpoint. Deep CDR (Content Disarm and Reconstruction) technology removes potentially malicious code and sanitizes files. Additionally, an Industrial Firewall can help ensure that only authorized files can access organizational systems. Staying informed about the latest technological advancements and adapting to changing corporate needs are vital practices for ensuring device security.
How to Implement Device Security?
To prevent threats, organizations must ensure holistic visibility across all devices on the network. This can be achieved through device and network inventory and management solutions. Continuous visibility across networks and devices allows administrators to stay alert to events and respond appropriately. In addition to visibility, organizations should implement automated responses to any anomalies and define various alert levels based on threat assessment. IT and OT systems also need to implement least-privileged access control, reducing the risk of unauthorized actions that could bypass security measures by ensuring users have only the minimum necessary access.
Opswat’s IT and OT security solutions utilize leading technologies to ensure maximum device security in IT and OT environments.
Opswat offers a range of device security solutions that support the integrated management of IT and OT environments, providing both enhanced holistic visibility and detecting external threats to IT and OT environments, preventing unauthorized access and malware.
With Opswat MetaDefender Drive solution, organizations scan devices coming from outside and being integrated into their secure networks using its leading multi-scan technology. It generates a security report on threats and offers remediation options.
OPSWAT KIOSK solutions ensure that portable media (USB) devices coming from insecure networks undergo security scanning before entering an organization’s secure network, so every USB media device to be admitted to the secure network is subjected to security checks.
The Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution, based on secure file transfer, offers the opportunity to scan every file entering the organization’s network from the outside using technologies such as multi-scanning, Deep CDR, and NextGen Sandbox.
Industrial Control Systems devices in Operational Technology (OT) networks can be secured by performing segmentation using data diodes and safety gateways. Based on secure data transmission, this technology protects devices within a network considered completely secure.
An Industrial Security Firewall (IPS/IDS) solution ensures the security of devices such as PLCs and RTUs at OT endpoints, performs automatic anomaly detection, and can identify and stop breaches.
With all these unique and technology-leading security solutions, OPSWAT becomes the most powerful tool for your tightened device security policy in IT and OT environments.