ACSC releases OT connectivity principles to set a higher security bar for organisations

The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has announced the release of guidance titled Secure connectivity principles for Operational Technology (OT), in collaboration with international partners and led by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre.

The guidance is in response to growing cyber threat to OT environments, including those that support critical infrastructure. Many OT systems were designed for safety and reliability, not cybersecurity, but as connectivity expands through remote access, third-party support and data sharing, organisations need clear, practical guidance to manage risk of a cyber intrusion.

The guidance sets out eight principles to help organisations design, secure and manage OT connectivity. These principles focus on how to:

• Reduce unnecessary exposure to networks
• Apply consistent and secure connectivity patterns
• Limit the impact of a cyber-compromise
• Monitor connectivity and detect threats early
• Plan for isolation if systems require disconnection
   

The principles support system owners, operators of essential services and suppliers involved in OT environments. They can apply them to new and existing systems and scale to suit organisational risk and maturity.

The ACSC says that by applying this guidance, organisations can strengthen cyber resilience while maintaining safety, reliability and operational continuity.

The guidance can be found here.

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