Across different industrial verticals, organisations are experiencing sweeping technological changes. As the shift towards Digital Transformation (DX) and Industry 4.0 accelerates, the need to rethink security while designing networks grows only stronger.

While many businesses plan proactively for such disruptions and embrace such changes strategically, there will always be times when they get taken by surprise. The sudden and forceful wave of DX, increased demand for providing remote access and the immanent threat of ransomware have made OT Firewalls a must-have security item in every CISO’s shopping list.

An industrial firewall is a specialised firewall device designed for use in industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems protecting all sort of OT devices. Unlike traditional IT firewalls, industrial firewalls are designed to protect against specific security threats that are unique to industrial environments, such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. They are built to withstand harsh industrial conditions, such as extreme temperatures, vibrations, and electromagnetic interference.

Industrial firewalls typically provide network security functions such as stateful inspection, intrusion detection and prevention, virtual private network (VPN) support, access controls and application layer filtering. They are also designed to integrate with other security measures, such as intrusion detection systems and security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, to provide a comprehensive security solution for industrial networks.

Operational Technology (OT) firewalls and Information Technology (IT) firewalls are two different types of firewalls designed to meet the specific security needs of their respective industrial network and OT environments, IT and OT convergence in particular and in some instances, industrial internet of things IIoT and XIoT or Extended Internet of things.

IT firewalls are designed to protect IT networks, such as enterprise networks and data centers, from various types of cyber threats, such as malware, unauthorised access, and network intrusions. They are typically deployed at the perimeter of an IT network and use traditional security measures, such as stateful inspection, intrusion detection, and application-layer filtering, to secure the network.

OT firewalls, on the other hand, are specifically designed for use in operational technology systems, industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. They protect these systems from cyber threats that can compromise the control and operation of critical infrastructure, such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and manufacturing plants. OT firewalls provide security functions similar to IT firewalls, but are built to withstand harsh industrial conditions and are optimized for low latency and real-time communication requirements.

In summary, the main difference between OT firewalls and IT firewalls lies in their design and the environments they are intended to protect. OT firewalls are designed specifically for industrial control systems, while IT firewalls are designed for general IT networks.