As IT, OT and cloud environments become increasingly interconnected, identities have emerged as the primary attack vector for industrial organisations. Traditional OT security has focused on network segmentation and perimeter controls. Today, cyber resilience depends on securing the human and machine identities that access critical operational environments. An identity-first security approach helps organisations reduce cyber risk, strengthen operational resilience and enable secure digital transformation across industrial environments.
Moving towards Zero Trust for OT
Explore the full insight in our whitepaper
Why identity security matters in OT
Modern operational technology environments depend on a growing mix of employees, contractors, vendors, service technicians, applications, and connected devices. As you accelerate digital efforts, the number of identities that need access to OT systems keeps rising.
At the same time, attackers are focusing more on identities than on infrastructure. Compromised credentials, excessive privileges, and unsecured remote access remain some of the most common paths into critical operational environments.
Without effective identity controls, you may face:
- Unauthorised access to critical systems
- Higher risk of ransomware and cyberattacks
- Operational disruption and downtime
- Regulatory and compliance challenges
- Reduced visibility of privileged activities
Key challenges in OT identity management
Many organisations face growing identity risks across their operational environments, including:
- Uncontrolled privileged access
Permanent administrator accounts and shared credentials create significant security risks and make accountability difficult. - Third-party and vendor access
Suppliers and external service providers often require remote access to OT environments, increasing the risk of unauthorised access if not properly governed. - Converged IT and OT identities
As IT and OT systems become increasingly connected, compromised IT identities can provide a pathway into production environments.
- Machine identity challenges
Connected devices, industrial IoT solutions, applications and automation platforms require secure machine identities and certificate management to operate safely.
- Limited visibility and monitoring
Many organisations lack the ability to continuously monitor identity-related activities and detect threats before they impact operations.
Moving towards Zero Trust for OT
The future of OT security is built on Zero Trust principles.
Instead of assuming trust based on network location, every access request is continuously evaluated based on identity, device posture, risk and context.
A Zero Trust approach helps organisations:
- Reduce the attack surface
- Prevent lateral movement
- Protect critical production systems
- Improve visibility and control
- Strengthen cyber resilience
Ready to secure critical operations through an identity-centric approach?
Download our whitepaper
https://pages.pwc.ch/view-form?id=701Vl00001f8YZ4IAM&embed=true
How we support you along the way
We work with you to design and put in place identity-first security strategies for your operational technology (OT) environments. By combining deep cybersecurity experience with industry-specific OT knowledge, we help you strengthen resilience, cut risk, and support secure operational growth.
Our capabilities include:
- OT identity strategy and governance
- Identity maturity assessments
- Privileged Access Management (PAM)
- Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)
- Zero Trust architecture
- Secure remote access solutions
- Machine identity and certificate management
- Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR)
- OT cybersecurity transformation programmes
If you’re ready to secure your OT environment with an identity-first approach, talk to our OT cybersecurity team about your identity security strategy and next steps.