Over the last several years, an emerging Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has started to converge with Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and other Operational Technology (OT). IIoT uses traditional IT networking protocols and sensors to connect to previously air-gapped OT systems and networks, which used specialty industrial control system protocols such as MODBUS and DNP 3.0.

Operational efficiencies have been driving the convergence of IT and OT, with many OT vendors providing more interoperability with control system protocols. These have used IP-based Human Machine Interface (HMI) systems and have incorporated Ethernet manifestations such as MODBUS/TCP to support further convergence with IT protocols and systems.

While the convergence of IT and OT unlocks valuable data from ICS and provides more operational visibility to make better business decisions, it also can provide nefarious actors access into industrial control networks. Many OT systems have not been properly safeguarded through updated operating system patches, protocol isolation, strong encryption and multi-factor authentication, or network and user access monitoring.