Operational Technology (OT)
The hardware and software used to monitor and control physical industrial equipment and processes, such as factory machinery.
Operational technology (OT) refers to the hardware and software systems used to monitor and control physical equipment and industrial processes, such as factory assembly lines, power grid controls, and water treatment systems. This is distinct from traditional IT, which manages data and computing rather than physical machinery.
OT systems were historically isolated from the internet, but modern connectivity has increasingly linked them to corporate networks, exposing critical infrastructure to cyber threats that could cause real-world physical damage. Because many OT systems run on old, hard-to-patch↗ equipment, network segmentation↗ and strict access control↗ are essential protections.