5 Risk Management Lessons OT Cybersecurity Leaders Can’t Afford to Ignore

For operational technology (OT) cybersecurity leaders, today’s threat landscape isn’t just more aggressive—it’s more deceptive, faster moving, and harder to contain. High-profile breaches across pipelines, power systems, and water treatment facilities have exposed persistent weaknesses in even well-resourced environments. While technologies evolve, many of the biggest security lapses stem from timeless risk management oversights: poor visibility, weak segmentation, and human error.

The good news? Observed patterns offer a playbook for prevention. By studying what’s gone wrong, OT security leaders can reinforce what must go right. Here are five time-tested risk management lessons that persist through the fastest-paced technology evolutions.

1. The Power of Fundamental Cybersecurity Practices

Time and again, major OT incidents have traced back to small, avoidable oversights: weak passwords, outdated firmware, misconfigured switches. These aren’t edge cases. They’re recurring patterns with potentially catastrophic consequences.

A weak or shared passwords, outdated software, and misconfigured networks are consistently leveraged by malicious actors. Seemingly minor oversights can create significant gaps in an organization’s defenses, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access and cause havoc. When the basics break down, particularly in converged IT/OT environments where attackers only need one foothold, consequences escalate fast.

Consider the scenario of a water treatment plant that was compromised due to weak remote access and authentication, or the oil refinery that was shut down due to a network switch misconfiguration.

These examples reinforce a hard truth. Despite the allure of cutting-edge technologies, foundational practices remain among the highest-leverage tools OT security leaders have to reduce risk.

2. Non-OT Incidents Can Still Affect Operations

One common misconception in critical infrastructure is that OT systems are safe unless directly targeted. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Many incidents impacting OT environments originate as seemingly innocuous IT intrusions. Attackers enter through an overlooked endpoint or compromised credential in the enterprise network and then move laterally into the OT environment through weak segmentation or misconfigured gateways. This pattern has repeatedly emerged in the pipeline sector.

Such incidents highlight the critical importance of network segmentation. Historically, IT and OT networks were often treated as separate entities, but the increasing convergence of these domains has blurred the lines and created new attack vectors. Without proper segmentation, a breach in the IT network can quickly cascade into the OT environment, causing physical disruptions. Robust configuration management is also crucial, ensuring network devices are properly configured and patched to prevent unauthorized access and lateral movement.

Without deliberate boundaries and disciplined oversight, the soft edges between IT and OT become the very fault lines adversaries exploit.

3. The Power of Preparedness

Scrambling after an incident isn’t a response strategy. It’s an admission of “under-preparedness.”

Time and again, post-mortems reveal the same pattern: organizations lacking in tested procedures, clear roles, or real-world readiness. A proactive posture begins with rigorous risk assessments, threat modeling, and vulnerability scanning—not once, but as a cycle that evolves with the threat landscape. This plan should outline clear procedures for detecting, containing, and recovering from cyber incidents. Regular simulations and tabletop exercises can help organizations refine their response capabilities and ensure personnel are prepared to act decisively in the event of an attack.

The key is to identify and mitigate potential weaknesses before they can be exploited.

4. The Human Element in Cybersecurity

Even the best cybersecurity tools fail without the right people behind them. Human error remains one of the most persistent and preventable vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.

It’s a simple analogy. A high-performance car is only as good as the driver.

Phishing, credential misuse, social engineering, and configuration mistakes continue to drive incident volume. The solution isn’t just better tools. It’s better procedures, training, and culture.

Security awareness must be embedded across all roles, not confined to annual training sessions. Every employee should know how to recognize threats, report anomalies, and respond appropriately within their scope. That means hands-on training, real-world simulations, and a culture where security isn’t someone else’s job. It’s everyone’s responsibility.

Governance reinforces this culture. Clear protocols for access control, incident escalation, and routine audits create structure and accountability. When people know what’s expected—and why—it reduces ambiguity and increases resilience.

A skilled, informed, and accountable workforce is the one asset attackers can’t automate around. Invest accordingly.

5. The Ongoing Battle Against Evolving Threats

Ransomware, supply chain attacks, and zero-day exploits are constant reminders cyber threats don’t stand still. Preparation isn’t a one-time investment—it’s an operational discipline.

A consequence-driven approach helps teams focus on what matters most: the assets, systems, and processes that would cause real damage if compromised. This involves conducting thorough consequence-based risk assessments to identify critical assets and prioritize security measures.

By evaluating the potential impact of incidents, organizations can tailor their security strategies to address the most significant risks. This ensures resources are allocated effectively and security measures are aligned with the organization’s unique operational needs.

Planning alone isn’t enough. Vigilance is an ongoing imperative. The threat landscape is constantly evolving, with new vulnerabilities and attack vectors emerging regularly. Organizations must continuously monitor their systems for suspicious activity and adapt their security measures to address emerging threats. This requires a commitment to continuous improvement and a willingness to embrace new technologies and best practices.

In conclusion, the lessons gleaned from past incidents serve as a roadmap for critical infrastructure companies seeking to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. By prioritizing the basics, securing networks, empowering personnel, and embracing a proactive approach, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of incidents and protect their critical operations.

The strongest OT cybersecurity programs don’t just prevent known threats. They build the capacity to adapt. By reinforcing fundamentals, strengthening people and processes, and maintaining a posture of constant readiness, security leaders can transform painful lessons into lasting resilience. The threats will keep evolving. Defenses should, too.