Datacentrix Highlights OT Cybersecurity Risks for Industrial Firms

South African ICT solutions provider Datacentrix  is highlighting the role of operational technology (OT) cybersecurity baseline assessments in helping industrial organisations identify security weaknesses, manage cyber risks and protect critical operations as threats targeting industrial environments increase.

The company said its structured assessments provide organisations with an evidence-based view of their OT security posture and a roadmap for improving system integrity, operational resilience and business continuity. The approach is intended to help management understand existing vulnerabilities, strengthen cybersecurity governance and prioritise investments in industrial security.

Datacentrix identified ageing infrastructure, the convergence of information technology (IT) and OT networks, and increased cyber threat activity as factors exposing industrial environments to greater risk. Security weaknesses in these systems can affect worker safety, equipment, production uptime, product quality and regulatory compliance.

The company’s assessment methodology aligns with internationally recognised frameworks, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Risk Management Framework and Cybersecurity Framework. It also uses the IEC 62443 standard to assess OT cybersecurity maturity.

The assessment is conducted in three phases. The preparation stage involves reviewing operational priorities, existing documentation, governance structures and critical processes, while defining system boundaries and preliminary asset lists.

The second phase involves on-site assessments and discovery activities, including workshops with engineering and operations teams, network scanning, physical inspections, asset inventory development and mapping of network connections and data flows. Systems are also categorised according to their potential impact on operations.

During the final phase, Datacentrix analyses the collected evidence, evaluates cybersecurity maturity and identifies control gaps and existing strengths. The company then develops a prioritised improvement roadmap, with maturity scoring aligned to IEC 62443 levels.

The assessment covers several security areas, including governance and programme management, asset and configuration management, access control, network security, monitoring and incident response, system integrity, lifecycle management and continuous improvement.

Organisations receive an executive summary of key findings and recommendations, an OT system categorisation and baseline assessment, a maturity scorecard, evidence-based observations, a control gap analysis and a prioritised roadmap for improving cybersecurity capabilities.

Datacentrix said the findings can help management safeguard operational continuity by identifying vulnerabilities in industrial plants, networks and legacy systems before they lead to production disruptions. The assessment also provides a basis for integrating OT cybersecurity into enterprise risk management and improving oversight of operational risks.

The company noted that the results can guide investment decisions by directing cybersecurity budgets towards controls with the greatest potential to improve resilience. They can also help organisations address regulatory and customer requirements, strengthen audit readiness and protect employees, equipment and the environment from the physical consequences of cyber incidents.

Datacentrix further highlighted the importance of establishing secure OT environments as industrial businesses adopt automation, smart manufacturing and data-driven operations under Industry 4.0 initiatives.

The company said its assessment approach is intended to help organisations modernise their industrial operations while maintaining security, reliability and operational performance.