The System Integrator’s Role in Supporting OT Security
In this episode, Craig Duckworth and Dino Busalachi discuss the critical but often overlooked or misunderstood role of system integrators (SIs) in industrial cybersecurity.Key Issues Identified:Organizations typically work with multiple specialized integrators across different facilities and systemsSome SIs lack cybersecurity expertise, focusing primarily on equipment functionalityEquipment can remain connected to networks for decades, with ownership and oversight changing hands over timeSystem integrators must exercise proper IT coordination to implement remote access solutions effectivelyRecommendations:IT and OT teams should collaborate more closely with system integrators on cybersecurity planningOrganizations need to evaluate their SIs' cybersecurity capabilities and partnershipsConsider standardizing on integrators with demonstrated cybersecurity practices and vendor certificationsApply the same due diligence used for IT vendor selection to OT system integratorsBottom Line: System integrators are essential partners in executing industrial cybersecurity strategies and protection. Organizations must actively engage them in security conversations and ensure they have the necessary skills and partnerships to implement secure solutions for their plant environments from the start.Chapters:00:00:00 - Real-World Ransomware Hits the Plant Floor00:00:52 - Meet the System Integrators Shaping Your OT Plant Floor Security00:01:17 - What System Integrators Really Do (and Don’t)00:04:13 - Remote Access: The Hidden Backdoor Nobody Sees00:08:34 - Why Ongoing Monitoring Is Non-Negotiable00:13:30 - How to Pick the Right System Integrator For Your Operations00:26:17 - Building Strong Partnerships with Your IntegratorsLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!
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32:38
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32:38
When IT Cyber Events Bring Down the Plant Floor
Craig and Dino break down how cyberattacks that start in traditional IT systems can shut down entire manufacturing production lines, leading to massive financial losses. Using real-world examples like UNFI's $500 million drop in market value in 60 hours, they explain how overlooked connections between IT and the OT plant floor are often the weakest links. You’ll hear why simply installing firewalls isn’t enough, how organizational silos between IT and operations cause major blind spots, and what it really takes to secure industrial equipment. Whether you're in leadership, technology, or operations, this episode will change how you think about cyber risk and business continuity in connected environments.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction: Where Responsibility Ends and Authority Doesn’t Begin00:01:08 - Meet Your Guides: Dino & Craig On the Frontlines00:01:14 - When Cyber Hits the Plant Floor00:01:28 - Real-World Wake-Up: The Unify IT Incident00:02:36 - The Gaps No One’s Watching in OT Security00:03:18 - How Org Structure Can Make or Break Cyber Defense00:04:03 - Plugging in OT Visibility: IDS in Action00:04:43 - Who’s Really Calling the Shots—Corporate or the Plant?00:07:02 - IT-OT Convergence: What Leaders Must Understand00:13:14 - Building Cyber Defense That Actually Works00:15:25 - Recovery Starts Before the Breach00:17:37 - Why IT Alone Can’t Fix OT Problems00:24:55 - Just Getting Started? Here’s What to Do First00:28:33 - Final Word: You Can’t Secure OT AloneLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!
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29:47
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29:47
When CISOs Inherit the Plant Floor: What Happens Next?
What happens when the CISO inherits responsibility for the security of the plant floor?Dino and Craig discuss a growing trend: CISOs are being expected to oversee cybersecurity for industrial plant floors. Unfortunately, they don't have the background to effectively take on this responsibility.A perpetuating trend exists where cybersecurity leaders are expected to protect factories and industrial assets without the authority, tools, or support to do so effectively.In this conversation, Dino and Craig explain why traditional IT security approaches don’t work in these environments, and how things like outdated equipment, disconnected systems, and outside vendors make the challenge even harder. From weak remote access tools to the confusion around who actually manages plant security, this episode shines a light on the hidden risks most companies overlook.Whether you're in IT, operations, or a leadership role, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to approach cybersecurity in complex industrial settings.You'll also gain insights into the steps you can take to protect your people, your technology, and your bottom line.Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off: Smart Tool Choices Start Here00:01:02 - When CISOs Inherit the Factory Floor00:02:17 - Making Friends with OEMs and Integrators00:04:47 - Why OT Security Is a Whole Different Beast00:08:50 - Cyber Budgets: Where’s the Money Really Coming From?00:13:10 - How to Actually Roll Out Security in the Plant00:18:35 - VPNs Aren’t Enough: Fixing Remote Access00:24:42 - What OT Incident Response Really Looks Like00:27:17 - Wrapping It Up: Strategy, Buy-In, and What’s NextLinks And Resources:Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!
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28:50
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28:50
Reflections from the Front Lines of Industrial Cyber Failures
In this rewind episode, cybersecurity leaders revisit some of the hardest-hitting truths about protecting critical infrastructure in an increasingly converged IT/OT world. This conversation explores the disconnect between IT theory and OT reality, from the real-world fallout of the CrowdStrike disruption to the challenges of virtual patching, insider threats, and the cloud’s role on the plant floor. The discussion exposes how legacy systems, poor collaboration, alert fatigue, and vendor dependency continue to sabotage industrial cybersecurity. They discuss tactical strategies for improving, from asset inventory and patching hygiene to choosing the right partners and walking the plant floor.Chapters:00:00:00 - Cyber threats are moving faster than your patch cycle00:00:47 - Crowdstrike, Virtual Patching and Industrial OT Environments with Debbie Lay, TXOne Networks00:07:48 - The #1 Myth Putting Your Industrial OT Assets at Risk00:15:01 - Patch Management and Software Updates: IT versus OTLinks And Resources:Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!
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21:58
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21:58
What Every CISO Gets Wrong About OT Security
In this episode, Dino and Craig tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in industrial cybersecurity: IT/OT convergence. But is it truly convergence or more of a collision? Drawing from real-world experiences, they challenge the idea that OT is a “shadow IT group” and argue that operational technology deserves distinct governance, funding, and strategic influence. From secure-by-design to system integrators' evolving role, this conversation is a call to action for CISOs, CIOs, and engineering leaders to rethink how they build cybersecurity partnerships across the plant floor.Chapters:00:00:00 - Opening Shot: Who’s Really in Charge—CIOs or the Plant Floor?00:00:57 - Collision Course: IT and OT Can’t Keep Dodging Each Other00:01:52 - Two Worlds, One Mission: Why OT Isn’t Just “IT in a Hard Hat”00:04:07 - When Convergence Fails: What’s Missing in the Middle00:05:54 - Breaking Silos: Why Cybersecurity Demands True Collaboration00:08:22 - Real Talk: What Cyber Protection Looks Like on the Plant Floor00:10:46 - OT’s Tipping Point: Will the Next Move Come from IT, or the Shop Floor?00:17:32 - Your Move: What Leaders Must Do Next (Before It’s Too Late)Links And Resources:Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Industrial Cybersecurity Insider? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!
Industrial Cybersecurity Insider offers a thorough look into the field of industrial cybersecurity for manufacturing and critical infrastructure. The podcast delves into key topics, including industry trends, policy changes, and groundbreaking innovations. Each episode will feature insights from key influencers, policy makers, and industry leaders. Subscribe and tune in weekly to stay in the know on everything important in the industrial cybersecurity world!
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