Webinar Description
Key Takeaways
- Examines the expanding accountability of corporate CISOs for operational technology security
- Addresses compliance requirements under NERC CIP, TSA security directives and NIS2
- Explores Zero Trust principles applied to industrial environments without operational disruption
- Designed for CISOs and CIOs with inherited responsibility for OT security
Introduction
A webinar scheduled for September 2026 will address the growing responsibility that corporate chief information security officers now carry for operational technology environments. Featuring Forrester analyst Paddy Harrington alongside AppGate’s Walid Dimachkie, the session focuses on secure remote access strategies for industrial systems at a time when regulatory frameworks are demanding demonstrable control over who accesses critical infrastructure and under what conditions.
The Shifting Landscape of OT Security Ownership
Operational technology security has historically sat outside the corporate CISO’s direct remit, managed instead by plant engineers, operations teams or dedicated OT security personnel. That boundary is dissolving. As industrial systems become more connected and the consequences of breaches grow more severe, organisations are consolidating security accountability under enterprise leadership. Remote access represents the first practical test of this new ownership model.
The challenge is compounded by the diverse range of parties requiring access to OT environments. External vendors performing maintenance, systems integrators deploying new capabilities and internal engineering teams all need pathways into infrastructure that was never designed with such connectivity in mind. Traditional approaches relying on virtual private networks and jump hosts often introduce additional risk vectors while creating operational friction that slows legitimate work.
Regulatory Pressure and Compliance Expectations
Multiple regulatory frameworks now impose explicit requirements on industrial remote access. NERC CIP standards govern critical infrastructure in the energy sector, while TSA security directives have expanded oversight of pipeline and transportation systems. The European Union’s NIS2 directive extends similar expectations across essential services. Each framework demands that organisations demonstrate provable control over access to industrial systems, including clear policies, identity verification and auditable evidence of compliance.
For CISOs newly accountable for OT environments, these requirements create immediate pressure. Regulators expect not merely that controls exist but that organisations can prove their effectiveness during audits. This shifts the burden from implementing security measures to generating continuous evidence that those measures function as intended.
Applying Zero Trust to Industrial Environments
The webinar will examine how Zero Trust principles can be adapted for operational technology without disrupting the availability and reliability that industrial processes demand. Unlike enterprise IT environments where security controls can be deployed with relative flexibility, OT systems often run continuously and cannot tolerate interruptions for security updates or policy changes.
Identity-based access control offers one pathway forward, enabling organisations to grant permissions based on verified user identities and defined asset groups rather than network location. Removing third-party trust boundaries from the access path reduces the attack surface that external vendors and integrators might otherwise create. When access controls generate compliance evidence as a natural byproduct of operation, organisations can reduce both vendor onboarding time and audit preparation effort.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for CISOs and CIOs who have recently inherited or are anticipating responsibility for operational technology security. Security leaders seeking to understand where OT breaches typically originate and how to address remote access vulnerabilities without creating operational disruption will find the discussion directly relevant to their current challenges.