Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) in OT Environments: Bespoke Capabilities Designed Specifically for Industrial Needs

Adopting ZTA in distributed and complex Operational Technology (OT) Environments is essential in getting organizations to the end goal of continued, safe and efficient process, proactively.

Industrial security is far from static; the threat landscape is ever-evolving. Devices across IT, OT, IoT, and IoMT are all potential targets for attacks, necessitating rigorous security considerations. A comprehensive inventory and protection of all assets and devices––physical, virtual, managed, or unmanaged––is crucial, operating under the assumption that every device may be targeted. The adoption of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) has shifted defense strategies from network-based perimeters to a focus on users, assets, and resources. The Armis Centrix™ Platform makes it easy to adopt ZTA, delivering complete end-to-end protection for OT environments while aligning with Zero Trust principles. Armis also recognises the importance of a holistic approach, adding extended capabilities that promote proactive strategy, resilience and mitigation as a priority.

What is Zero Trust in OT Security?

Zero Trust operates on the principle that no user account or machine, even one already inside the environment, is inherently trustworthy. Cybersecurity teams must assume threats exist both internally and externally. As a result, they must ensure all individuals, activities, and communications are authenticated and authorized before being permitted. When it comes to OT security, Zero Trust principles are more challenging to apply. OT assets are often older and less interoperable with modern authentication and authorization solutions. A new approach is required for Zero Trust to be applied similarly to IT but optimized for OT security, requiring multiple layers of security control––network segmentation, exposure management, threat detection, secure access, and network protection to name some.

The Challenge ZTA Addresses

Digital transformation is picking up pace in industrial organizations as IT and OT systems converge, adoption of IIoT and IoMT technologies grow, and productivity-optimizing practices like predictive maintenance scheduling become more commonplace. However, this transformation also rapidly expands the OT attack surface. Connecting industrial and IoT assets to the cloud introduces significant risks with potential implications for organizational resilience, national security, economic stability, and public safety.

OT assets, unlike their IT counterparts, have much longer life cycles—often spanning decades. This long-lived equipment is a boon for industrial operations, since they don’t have to pay for new equipment or disrupt operations to install it as frequently. But as cyber threats escalate, these assets can become gateways for new vulnerabilities and risk, incompatible with traditional security tooling, and susceptible to exploitation by determined threat actors.

The pace at which risk is introduced to legacy assets easily outruns the speed at which vulnerabilities can be remediated due to the industry’s low tolerance for downtime and the necessity for reliable, safe systems. Increased connectivity means that most enterprises—be it in manufacturing, utilities, energy, transportation, or commercial sectors—have OT assets on their network that require diligent management and security.

ZTA offers organizations a proactive strategy. Industrial environments can now reduce risk by focusing on prevention and mitigation. Not remediation. It is imperative for vendors to understand the comprehensive technology portfolios that Zero Trust implementations must encompass, spanning OT, IoT, IT, and IoMT.

The Cost of Not Adopting ZTA

Complex, sprawling OT environments have been taken advantage of in recent years by for-profit threat actors and nation state attacks alike. The results have been substantial ransoms, extended downtime and risk to human life. Some notable incidents that involved the compromise of OT systems include:

1. December 2023: Israeli-linked hackers disrupted approximately 70% of gas stations in Iran. Hackers claimed the attack was in retaliation for aggressive actions by Iran and its proxies in the region. Pumps restored operation the next day, but payment issues continued for several days.
2. December 2023: Ukrainian state hackers crippled Russia’s largest water utility plant by encrypting over 6,000 computers and deleting over 50 TB of data. Hackers claimed their attack was in retaliation for the Russian Kyivstar cyberattack.
3. August 2023: Russian hacktivists disabled Poland’s rail systems by gaining access to the system’s railway frequencies and transmitted a malicious signal that halted train operations. Attackers blasted Russia’s national anthem and a speech from Putin on Russia’s military operation in Ukraine during the attack.
4. August 2022. Hackers targeted the website of Ukraine’s state energy agency responsible for the oversight of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. The agency stated Russian hackers carried out the attack.
5. August 2022. A Russian group claimed responsibility for breaching a privately owned UK water supply company South Staffordshire Water and leaking files in an extortion attempt.

These incidents illustrate the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity strategies in OT environments. Common themes include poor network segmentation, inadequate monitoring and detection capabilities, and insufficient incident response planning.

ZTA with Armis Centrix™ for OT Security

As organizations advance towards a more distributed future, Armis Centrix™ for OT Security provides the capabilities to implement Zero Trust controls and least-privilege principles. With Armis Centrix™, organizations can identify connected devices, enforce detailed user access controls, and receive alerts on untrusted communications and behaviors across the network.

Secure Remote Access

Armis continues to build its partnership with Xage Security to power Secure Remote Access (SRA) capabilities. Armis Centrix™ for OT Security delivers secure remote access by seamlessly integrating into complex production environments, ensuring compatibility and efficiency. It incorporates advanced security measures to protect against remote exploitation and unauthorized access while adhering to architectural and functionality best practices referenced in the IEC62443 framework.

The solution addresses regulatory pressures by providing robust Zero Trust identity and access management for all devices, and all individuals whether internal or third party. It implements unique multi-layer, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Single Sign-On (SSO) for secure and seamless access, and sets ‘just-in-time’ access windows for essential maintenance. Moreover, it ensures that each individual gets the exact right access to resources, devices and assets in order to get their authorized activities or job done. SRA prevents lateral movement within the network through machine-to-machine access control and simplifies privilege management, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and privilege abuse.

Unlike conventional remote access solutions, Armis’ SRA is specifically designed to address the unique operational, administrative, and security requirements of manufacturing and critical infrastructure. By simplifying remote access, it cuts costs, conserves resources, and boosts security, allowing staff to concentrate on core business tasks and improving total cost of ownership (TCO). Armis’s cutting-edge approach significantly mitigates cyber risk, reinforces business continuity, and safeguards vital industrial processes, making it a transformative solution for today’s industries.

Network Segmentation

Network segmentation is a critical component in maintaining Zero Trust principles, particularly in Operational Technology (OT) environments. By dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments, organizations can control and restrict data flows between different parts of the network, thereby minimizing the risk of lateral movement by threat actors.

This segmentation not only ensures that any compromised segment remains contained but also provides granular control over network traffic, making it easier to detect and respond to anomalies. Armis Centrix™ for OT Security incorporates intelligent network segmentation within its portfolio to elevate this layer of defense. Through asset discovery and sophisticated policy enforcement, Armis Centrix™ enables organizations to dynamically segment their networks based on real-time insights, thereby enhancing security postures and ensuring compliance with Zero Trust architectures.

Threat Detection and Prevention

NIST stipulates that enterprises collect as much information as possible about the current state of assets, network infrastructure and communications. Preventing cyberattacks requires blocking unauthorized access, preventing insider threats, and stopping attacks at every stage. As attackers become increasingly sophisticated and breaches more common, defenders must adopt dynamic strategies to safeguard organizations effectively. Armis Centrix™ provides robust solutions by controlling access to prevent the weaponization of privileged accounts and living off the land techniques against enterprises.

With user-to-machine and machine-to-machine access control, SRA powered by Xage can limit the attack blast radius. Automated credential rotation and a distributed password vault secured by mesh architecture eliminate single points of failure or compromise. Additionally, secure file transfer between users and IT assets halts the spread of malware and ransomware, while zero trust microsegmentation prevents lateral movement, ensuring comprehensive protection.

Continuous Monitoring

Effective network protection through behavior monitoring consists of multiple layered capabilities––OT security is like an onion––including deep contextual awareness, smart active querying, behavior monitoring, industry benchmarking, compliance adherence, and robust policy enforcement. These elements work together to safeguard critical infrastructure from sophisticated cyber threats.

Armis Centrix™ for OT Security excels in providing a bespoke solution through its advanced capabilities. By leveraging deep contextual awareness and smart active querying, it identifies and understands the nuances of network traffic, discerning between normal and suspicious activities. Behavior monitoring further enhances security by continuously analyzing network behavior to detect anomalies in real time. Industry benchmarking ensures that security measures align with the best practices and standards, while adherence to compliance frameworks aids in meeting regulatory requirements. Robust policy enforcement guarantees that security protocols are consistently applied across the network. Together, these features strengthen the overall cybersecurity posture, creating a resilient barrier against potential threats and mitigating the risks associated with OT environments.

Applying Zero Trust in OT

What works in IT will not necessarily work in OT. Industrial environments are rooted in principles of safety and machine-to-machine automation, with processes that are finely tuned and changes that are intentional and planned to happen in set windows. Information Technology (IT), on the other hand, operates in different areas of the business, typically distanced from direct interactions with production equipment. Rapid development cycles are the norm in IT, fostering innovation. When implementing a zero-trust architecture, it’s crucial to consider these differences to foster a culture of trust between vendor and OT engineering teams.

Despite the risk often associated with change in OT environments, the increasing incidence of cyber attacks targeting Operational Technology environments underscores the critical necessity for robust and comprehensive security measures. Real world examples make it clear that vulnerabilities in OT systems can lead to dire consequences, affecting infrastructure, supply chains, and public safety.

Implementing strategies such as granular internal network segmentation, secure remote access, proactive threat detection, and behavior monitoring is essential for fortifying OT environments. The suite of capabilities provided by Armis Centrix™ for OT Security have been designed to provide the necessary tools and insights to safeguard these critical systems. As the cyber threat landscape evolves, embracing a Zero Trust architecture tailored to the unique needs of OT environments will be pivotal in ensuring continued operational resilience and security. By integrating these security measures, organizations can effectively mitigate risks and uphold the integrity of their critical infrastructure.