FeatureSchneider Electric is a critical infrastructure provider and a data custodian for customers, hence, protecting customers assets, operations and data is a top tier risk. Schneider Electric is leading digital transformation and sustainability of energy management and industrial automation. Their products and systems are used in over one million buildings worldwide, including critical infrastructure, for example 40,000 water and wastewater treatment installations, 40% of the world’s hospitals, 10 of the world’s top electric utilities.
Security is at the core of its digital transformation, including product development which is an essential business imperative. Here we incorporate cybersecurity to ensure digital resiliency against security threats.
The advancement of technology means that artificial intelligence as an example increasingly plays a role in how electrical infrastructure is managed.
With the clear efficiency and productivity gains artificial intelligence delivers and in the case of cybersecurity, improved monitoring, the demand for artificial intelligence has been steadily increasing over the past few years.
Artificial intelligence’s capacity to take in and process huge amounts of data in real time means organisations can implement anomaly detection monitoring capabilities that have advanced and improved functionalities to alert issues, recommend action and, in some cases, to even initiate a response.
The main challenge IT and OT leaders are facing right now is to maintain a balance between business needs and keep their organisations safe from threats while ensuring business continuity. That means when a company sets off on its digital transformation, cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought. There is too much at stake for them, financially and operationally.
Implementing the technology will converge IT and OT demands into rethinking their approach to cybersecurity, especially with so many employees working offsite and concepts like remote management of assets taking root in many organisations.
IT and OT business leaders must review all the potential risks across the extended digital enterprise, which means adjusting to the new perimeter, so to include all supply chain stakeholders, third parties, customers, authorities and partners.
As IoT, cloud, and remote work have increased digitisation, Zero Trust mindset and architecture is becoming a more important investment and significant retooling, reengineering will be required especially in IAM.
Finally, they then must craft and communicate a digital risk strategy that will be understood by management, employees, suppliers, partners, and customers.
An effective approach to cybersecurity is to leverage industry standards and frameworks such as IEC 62443, NIST, as they provide a phased approach to addressing security in a structured manner.
Adopting Cybersecurity Application Platform designed to support customers in implementing controls and best practices, can be key as it allows operational teams to have visibility on data and take action to manage and maintain their cybersecurity control points. By having one platform, customers can save time and resources aligning to cybersecurity standards and best practices and strengthen their OT security posture.
GUIDELINES FOR CISOs
- An effective approach to cybersecurity is to leverage industry standards and frameworks such as IEC 62443, NIST.
- IT and OT business leaders must review all potential risks across the extended digital enterprise.
- As IoT, cloud, and remote work have increased digitisation, Zero Trust mindset and architecture is becoming an important investment.
- Communicate a digital risk strategy that will be understood by management, employees, suppliers, partners, customers.
- Advancement of technology means artificial intelligence plays a role in how electrical infrastructure is managed.
The main challenge IT and OT leaders are facing right now is to maintain a balance between business needs, and cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought.
