ITOTskydd

ITOTskydd is an integrated approach to protecting information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) within organizations. It covers security practices designed to safeguard data, devices, networks, and the safety and reliability of physical processes that are controlled by OT systems. The objective is to reduce cyber and physical risks that could disrupt operations, cause safety incidents, or compromise critical infrastructure.

Scope and focus: ITOTskydd applies to environments where office IT networks and industrial control systems converge, such as manufacturing, energy, utilities, transport, and healthcare. IT emphasizes confidentiality and data integrity, while OT emphasizes availability, integrity of control processes, and safety.

Key components: risk assessment and asset inventory; secure architecture and network segmentation (IT and OT zones with controlled interfaces); access control and identity management; patching and change management; monitoring, anomaly detection, and threat intelligence; incident response, tabletop exercises, and disaster recovery; vendor and supply chain security; physical security and hardware lifecycle.

Standards: aligns with international standards (ISO/IEC 27001/27002, IEC 62443, NIST frameworks) and national guidelines for critical infrastructure, and, in some jurisdictions, specific Swedish or national IT/OT-skydd guidance.

Challenges: complexity of OT environments, legacy equipment, proprietary protocols, safety constraints, and balancing uptime with security.

Outlook: ITOTskydd emphasizes cross-domain collaboration between IT and OT teams, risk-based prioritization, and proactive resilience to protect essential services.