NSA Advisory on Ensuring Security of Operational Technology

The National Security Agency (NSA) has released the Cybersecurity Advisory, “Stop Malicious Cyber Activity Against Connected Operational Technology,” detailing how to evaluate risks to systems and improve the security of connections between OT and enterprise networks. This guidance is intended to provide a pragmatic evaluation methodology to assess how to best improve OT and control system cybersecurity for mission success, to include understanding necessary resources for secure systems. First, NSA encourages owners, operators, and administrators to evaluate the value against risk and costs for enterprise IT to OT connectivity. It observes that while the safest OT system is one that is not connected to an IT network, mission critical connectivity may be required at times. Next, the NSA encourages taking steps to improve cybersecurity for OT networks when IT-OT connectivity is mission critical, as appropriate to their unique needs. For IT-OT connections deemed necessary, it recommends taking steps to mitigate risks of IT-OT exploitation pathways, which include fully managing all IT-OT connections, limiting access, actively monitoring and logging all access attempts, and cryptographically protecting remote access vectors. Access the advisory at the NSA.