In The Digital Era, Manufacturers Must Make Securing Their OT A Priority>
Forbes – Lisa Caldwell
The majority of today’s manufacturing plants are multi-generational, featuring machines and devices that were in place far before anybody started talking about Industry 4.0.
Many are simply not designed to protect against the dangers of a modern, interconnected operating landscape.
Cybersecurity programs can start small and scale quickly.
So, the first thing manufacturers should do is conduct a detailed assessment of their OT.
What is their device inventory.
What software do they use.
Where are the different connection points in their network.
By answering these questions, firms can build a foundational view of their production environment and, crucially, identify any gaps or causes for concern.

Once they have built their baseline inventory and corrected any immediate vulnerabilities, manufacturers can move onto addressing the areas of their production environment that require more rigorous, long-term programs.

This includes establishing ongoing governance of their OT.
In particular, they should set clear roles and responsibilities and agree on a cybersecurity standard against which to benchmark themselves. (Here, both the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) have some helpful frameworks to follow.)

Ideally, this should involve creating an Operations Center responsible for ensuring they constantly adapt and improve their processes and systems.
This “SWAT team” must comprise a cross-functional set of capabilities, combining a range of people who understand production processes, have knowledge of the supply chain, bring cyber expertise, and are adept at risk management.
Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisacaldwell/2023/10/23/in-the-digital-era-manufacturers-must-make-securing-their-ot-a-priority/