Ever stop to think about the invisible systems working around the clock to keep our lights on, water flowing, and factories producing? This is the world of critical infrastructure – meaning the essential services and facilities that are the backbone of our daily lives, economy, and national security.
From power plants to water treatment facilities, these are critical infrastructure examples we often take for granted. At the heart of these operations is Operational Technology (OT), the specialized hardware and software that control and monitor these physical processes.
For a long time, OT systems were like isolated islands, physically separated from other networks. But times have changed. To be more efficient and use data smarter, these systems are now increasingly connected to company networks and sometimes even the internet.
This connection brings benefits, but it also opens the door to a whole new world of cyber threats. That’s why critical infrastructure needs critical visibility. If we can’t see what’s happening inside these complex OT environments, we’re trying to defend them with our eyes closed. And the threats are very real, growing more common and more sophisticated every day.
The old ways of thinking about security—just guarding the physical gates—aren’t enough anymore. As the digital and physical worlds merge in critical infrastructure, cybersecurity has become a top priority. We need to move beyond the idea of an “air gap” being foolproof protection and realize that true security comes from deep visibility within these systems.
A successful cyberattack on critical infrastructure isn’t just about money, though that can be huge. Gartner once estimated downtime costs for big industrial companies at $5,000 to $10,000 per minute.
But the real impact can be much scarier, affecting public health, safety, and national security. Think about the 2015 attack on Ukraine’s power grid or the potential for hackers to mess with water supplies. Protecting these systems is a big deal, and it all starts with being able to see what’s going on.
Getting a Handle on the Basics: Key Cybersecurity Ideas
To talk about securing critical infrastructure, we need to be on the same page about a few key terms.
So, What Is Critical Infrastructure?
As we’ve touched on, critical infrastructure refers to the assets, systems, and networks—both physical and virtual—that are so vital to a country that if they were knocked out, it would seriously harm national security, the economy, or public health and safety.
Some common critical infrastructures examples include :
- Energy: Power grids, oil and gas pipelines.
- Water: Drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.
- Transportation: Highways, railways, airports.
- Healthcare: Hospitals, emergency services.
- Manufacturing: Essential goods production.
- Communications: Phone networks, internet.
- Finance: Banks, stock markets.
- Food & Agriculture: Farms, food processing, distribution.
These sectors increasingly rely on OT systems like Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) to run their physical processes. It’s also worth noting that in many countries, a lot of this infrastructure is owned by private companies, so protecting it requires teamwork between government and industry.
What Does “Network Visibility” Mean in Cybersecurity?
When we ask, “What does network visibility mean?” we’re talking about the ability to see, understand, and monitor everything happening on a computer network in real time. This means knowing about all connected devices, what they’re doing, and what kind of data they’re sending and receiving.
Good network visibility is crucial for cybersecurity because it helps :
- Spot threats early: Unusual patterns can signal an attack.
- Respond to incidents: If something bad happens, visibility helps track it down and fix it faster.
- Meet compliance rules: Many industries have data security rules, and visibility provides proof of compliance.
- Boost performance: It can also help find and fix network slowdowns.
But it’s not always easy. Encrypted traffic can hide bad stuff, and monitoring all the internal traffic within a large network can be a huge task.
And “OT Visibility”? What’s That?
Building on general network visibility, the question “What is OT visibility?” focuses specifically on the operational technology world. OT visibility means being able to see and understand all the devices, processes, and communications within an OT environment. It’s not just about knowing what’s connected, but understanding how these devices normally behave and interact.
Why is this so important?
- Operational Security: It helps detect weird activity or unauthorized access before it causes big problems.
- Resilience: Knowing what’s normal helps quickly spot when things go wrong, keeping operations running smoothly.
- Efficiency: Insights from visibility can even help make industrial processes run better.
To get better OT visibility, companies often start by finding all their OT assets, figuring out what normal operation looks like, and using special tools designed for industrial environments. The key here is context.
An unusual connection in an office IT network might be a small issue, but in an OT network controlling a power plant, it could signal a major safety risk or an impending shutdown. So, OT visibility tools need to understand industrial language (protocols like Modbus or DNP3) and what the data means for the physical process being controlled.
The Danger Zone: Why Critical Infrastructure is a Top Target
Our essential services are not just important; they’re also increasingly at risk. Critical infrastructure networks have become prime targets for hackers, and a mix of old technology and new connections has created a serious vulnerability problem.
Why Hackers Love Critical Infrastructure
The systems that provide our energy, water, and other essentials are very attractive to bad actors. These attackers could be working for hostile nations, organized crime groups, or even be activists with a cause.
Their goals vary: some want to cause chaos, some want to spy, steal valuable information, or hold systems hostage for ransom. The potential for a huge impact makes these systems tempting targets. For example, disrupting food supplies can be a powerful way for one country to pressure another.
A big reason for this increased risk is how OT systems have changed. They used to be isolated, but now they’re often connected to the internet or corporate networks to improve efficiency.
This has made them easier for attackers to reach. Attackers know that many OT systems have outdated defenses and see them as easy pickings for big rewards. Some groups, like the one known as Volt Typhoon, even try to get into critical systems just to have access ready for a future attack.
Common Weak Spots: Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability Points
A critical infrastructure vulnerability can show up in many places. Some of an attacker’s favorite entry points include :
- Old Systems and Software: Many OT systems are ancient in tech years. They were built before cybersecurity was a big worry and might lack modern security features. Patching them is tough because you can’t just shut down a power plant for an update. So, they often run on old, vulnerable software.
- IT and OT Mixing: When office IT systems connect to OT systems, vulnerabilities in IT can become a doorway into the OT world if the connection isn’t super secure.
- Insecure Remote Access: Letting people access systems remotely for maintenance is common, but if it’s not done securely (like using weak passwords or unpatched VPNs), it’s a major risk.
- Supply Chain Issues: Critical systems rely on parts and software from many suppliers. If any part of that supply chain is compromised (think fake parts or malware in a software update), it can infect the OT environment.
- Flat Networks: If the OT network isn’t divided into smaller, isolated zones (a practice called segmentation), an attacker who gets in one spot can often move around easily and reach critical controls.
- The Human Factor: People can make mistakes, like clicking on a bad link in an email (phishing) or misconfiguring a system. Sometimes, a disgruntled employee might even cause harm intentionally.
- Common Software Flaws: Standard software bugs that allow things like remote code execution (RCE) or taking over a system (privilege escalation) are often found in critical infrastructure systems.
- The Rise of IoT: More and more Internet of Things (IoT) devices (like smart sensors) are being added to critical infrastructure. These devices often have weak security and can be easy targets.
The Hard Truth: Critical Infrastructure is Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks
It’s not a question of if critical infrastructure vulnerable to cyber attacks will happen, but when and how often. The reality is that these attacks are increasing. One report in 2022 found that 44% of critical infrastructure organizations saw more, bigger, or worse cyberattacks in the previous year, with the average cost of a breach hitting $5.4 million.
We’ve seen major incidents like the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in the U.S., which messed with fuel supplies on the East Coast. And the attacks on Ukraine’s power grid in 2015 and 2016 showed that hackers can cause real-world blackouts.
What’s really dangerous is how these attacks can spread. Because different critical sectors depend on each other, an attack on the power grid could also knock out water treatment, transportation, and hospitals. This interconnectedness means the damage can quickly multiply.
Given how hard it is to patch old systems and how smart attackers are getting, just trying to prevent every attack isn’t realistic anymore. Critical infrastructure operators need to assume that some attacks will get through. This means focusing more on quickly detecting, containing, and recovering from incidents. And for that, you guessed it, comprehensive visibility is key.
Seeing is Securing: Why More Visibility Means Better OT Protection
In the high-stakes game of protecting Operational Technology, if you can’t see it, you can’t secure it. Full visibility into both what’s happening on the network and on individual devices is absolutely essential.
The Eyes on the Road: Monitoring Network Data
Monitoring network data is like having a wide-angle camera on all the communications happening in and around your OT environment. It means capturing and analyzing network traffic to see who’s talking to whom, what they’re saying, and if anything looks suspicious. This is vital for spotting early signs of trouble, like unauthorized devices trying to connect, unusual data being sent, or systems talking to known bad places on the internet. Security teams rely on this to detect threats, investigate incidents, and make sure they’re following the rules.
There are different ways to monitor network data in OT. “Passive” monitoring is popular because it’s safe for sensitive OT systems. It basically listens to copies of network traffic without actively poking the operational devices, so there’s no risk of accidentally messing things up. This is great for older systems that might not like being scanned directly.
Good network monitoring helps find threats early, gives crucial info for responding to attacks, and provides logs for compliance. But it has challenges, like encrypted traffic that can hide threats.
Looking Under the Hood: Why Host-Level Data is Critical
While network monitoring gives you the big picture of communications, it doesn’t tell you everything. Data collected directly from the “host” devices themselves—like the controllers (PLCs), operator screens (HMIs), and computers in the OT environment—gives you a close-up view of what’s happening on those individual assets.
Monitoring at the host level means looking at things like:
- System logs for errors or security alerts.
- What programs are running, to spot anything unauthorized.
- Any changes to important system settings.
- How busy the device is (CPU, memory use), which can indicate malware.
- Whether critical system files have been tampered with.
The benefits are huge. Host data can catch sneaky malware that network monitoring might miss, especially if it came in on a USB drive or from someone inside the company. It can also pinpoint misconfigurations on a device that create a security hole. And if an attack happens, host data is gold for figuring out exactly what the attacker did on that specific machine. Beyond security, this data can also help with keeping things running smoothly and predicting when equipment might fail.
Better Together: Why You Need Both Network and Host Data
Neither network data nor host data alone gives you the full security picture. The real power comes when you combine and compare information from both. They offer different angles: network monitoring shows how devices are talking, while host monitoring shows what’s happening on the devices.
Imagine network monitoring spots suspicious traffic going to an HMI. That’s a warning sign. Host data from that HMI can then confirm if a malicious program actually ran, if settings were changed, or if new fake user accounts were created. Without the host data, the network alert is just a maybe. Similarly, if host monitoring finds a weird program running on a server, network data can show if that program is trying to call out to hackers or spread to other systems.
This combined approach cuts down on blind spots and makes threat detection more accurate by letting you double-check alerts, which means fewer false alarms. Attackers ultimately have to do their dirty work on a host device to achieve their goals. Host-level monitoring is often the last line of detection, confirming if an attack actually landed and what damage it did.
Who’s Who in the Guidance Game: CISA and NIST
Protecting critical infrastructure isn’t just a technical puzzle; it also involves government agencies and industry standards. Two key players in the U.S. are CISA and NIST.
CISA: Your National Cybersecurity Advisor
So, what is CISA in cyber security? The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Think of CISA as the nation’s main risk advisor for cybersecurity and protecting infrastructure. Their job is to lead the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risks to the cyber and physical systems we all depend on.
CISA works with everyone—government at all levels, private companies, and international partners—to defend against current threats and build a safer future. They do things like:
- Share threat information and warnings.
- Provide technical help, tools, and training.
- Help coordinate responses to major cyber incidents.
- Analyze risks to prioritize protection efforts.
- Promote secure technologies and best practices.
CISA emphasizes that protecting critical infrastructure is a team effort.
NIST: Setting the Standards
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is another U.S. government agency that plays a big role in critical infrastructure NIST cybersecurity. While CISA is more about operational advice and incident response, NIST develops the standards, guidelines, and best practices that organizations can use to build and check their cybersecurity programs.
Some key NIST resources include:
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF): This is a popular voluntary guide that helps organizations manage cybersecurity risk. It’s built around core ideas like Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover, and (new in version 2.0) Govern. It’s widely used, even outside of critical infrastructure and internationally.
- NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-82 Series (“Guide to Operational Technology (OT) Security”): This is a deep dive specifically for OT systems like ICS and SCADA. It gives detailed advice on how to apply security in these unique environments, considering their special needs for safety and reliability.
- NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53 (“Security and Privacy Controls”): This is a big catalog of security controls. While aimed at federal systems, many critical infrastructure organizations use it as a reference, often with SP 800-82 helping to tailor it for OT.
- NISTIR 8428 (“Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) Framework for Operational Technology (OT)”): Released in 2022, this guide addresses the unique challenges of doing digital detective work (forensics) in OT systems when an incident happens.
- NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-207 (“Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)”): This guides organizations on implementing a “Zero Trust” approach, which basically means “never trust, always verify” for every user and device, inside or outside the network.
These NIST documents provide excellent roadmaps. However, just checking boxes for compliance isn’t enough. NIST encourages a risk-based approach, meaning organizations should use these guides to build a security program that fits their specific situation and risks. Good visibility tools are a big help here, providing the data needed to understand those risks and see if security measures are working.
From Manual Drudgery to Smart Automation: The Monitoring Evolution
Getting the deep visibility needed in today’s complex OT world is tough, especially if you’re relying on old-school manual methods. The sheer amount of data and the speed of threats mean we need to move to smarter, automated ways of monitoring.
The Trouble with Manual Data Digging
In the past, OT security often meant someone manually looking through log files, running queries, or using tools like Wireshark to check network traffic. While this can give a skilled person deep insights, it has big drawbacks in today’s world :
- It’s Slow: Sifting through tons of data by hand takes forever. When an attack is happening, that delay can be disastrous.
- Prone to Mistakes: Humans get tired and can miss things, especially with overwhelming amounts of data. This “human error” can mean threats are overlooked.
- Can’t Keep Up: Modern OT environments have so many connected devices generating so much data that manual analysis just isn’t practical.
- Needs Special Skills: Understanding OT data often requires rare and expensive expertise.
- Mostly Reactive: Manual methods are usually used to investigate problems after they’ve happened, not to proactively find new threats.
Trying to secure OT with purely manual monitoring is like looking for a needle in a haystack that’s constantly growing bigger.
Automation to the Rescue!
Automation changes the game for OT monitoring. Special tools can automatically collect, process, and analyze data from both the network and host devices, continuously. These modern systems can:
- Scan 24/7 and Alert Instantly: They can watch everything in near real-time and flag suspicious activity immediately.
- Connect the Dots Automatically: Smart systems can link events from different places (network sensors, host logs, threat warnings) to give a clearer picture of what’s happening, making it easier for humans to understand.
- Use AI to Find the Unknown: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can learn what “normal” looks like in an OT environment and then spot tiny changes that might signal a new or sneaky attack that older methods would miss.
- Even Take Action (Sometimes): Some systems can be set up to automatically do things like isolate a hacked device to stop an attack from spreading.
The benefits are clear :
- Faster and More Efficient: Automation means quicker threat detection and response.
- More Accurate: Consistent rules and smart analysis reduce human error and cut down on false alarms.
- Handles Scale: Automated tools can easily manage the huge amounts of data from modern OT systems.
- More Proactive: AI can help find threats before they cause damage.
- Frees Up Humans: By automating the grunt work, skilled analysts can focus on a more complex investigation, planning, and threat hunting.
Innovation Spotlight: Insane Cyber’s Automated Host Data Monitoring
Getting full visibility, especially down to the individual host devices in OT, needs new solutions. Insane Cyber is one company making waves here by focusing on automating the collection and analysis of host data. This is super important because, as we’ve said, many advanced threats can only be truly understood by looking at what’s happening directly on the endpoint device.
Insane Cyber’s Valkyrie Automated Security platform and their portable Cygnet Flyaway Kits are built for this. Valkyrie automates many of the tedious tasks analysts usually do by hand with host data, like checking logs, tracking performance, and analyzing system stats. It even uses AI to spot anomalies faster and more accurately than a person could. A big plus is that it can gather and link both host and network data for a more complete security view.
The Cygnet kits are portable versions that let teams quickly get visibility in remote places like electrical substations, even if there’s no internet. This is great for quickly gathering data during an incident.
The difference is clear: “manual digging can mean human error,” as your initial query pointed out. Automated systems like Valkyrie aim to reduce that risk, leading to faster detection and response. This gives a “more complete picture of security posture,” which is exactly what critical infrastructure operators need.
There’s a shortage of OT security experts. Automation helps by letting these skilled people focus on the hard stuff, not just sifting through data. Tools that make data easier to understand, like Valkyrie’s no-code queries, also help existing IT and OT teams contribute more to security.
In OT, speed is everything. An attack can have physical consequences almost instantly. So, finding and responding to threats faster is crucial for preventing damage and safety issues. Manual processes are just too slow. Automation provides that critical speed advantage.
Wrapping Up: Critical Visibility for a Safer Tomorrow
The digital revolution has brought amazing benefits to Operational Technology, but it’s also made our critical infrastructure networks a bigger target for cyberattacks. Protecting these systems isn’t just a good idea; it’s essential for our security, economy, and safety. And as we’ve seen, true protection starts with “critical visibility”—seeing everything happening on the network and on the individual host devices.
Securing critical infrastructure means understanding the risks, from old equipment to the dangers of connecting IT and OT systems. Guides from CISA and critical infrastructure NIST frameworks offer great advice, but they need to be used smartly, based on each organization’s unique risks.
A huge step forward is moving from slow, error-prone manual data checking to smart, automated monitoring. Humans simply can’t keep up with the speed and volume of today’s threats. Automation brings speed, accuracy, and the ability to let experts focus on the toughest challenges. This is especially true for monitoring host data, where the deepest insights into attacks are often found.
Innovators like Insane Cyber, with tools such as Valkyrie and Cygnet, are showing the way by automating the collection and analysis of both host and network data. This gives defenders a faster, fuller picture of what’s happening, so they can react quicker and reduce risk.
Protecting critical infrastructure is an ongoing job. Threats will keep changing, and systems will keep connecting. The goal isn’t just to stop every attack (that’s probably impossible) but to build systems that can withstand attacks, adapt, and recover quickly.
Comprehensive, automated visibility is the bedrock of that resilience. It’s time for all critical infrastructure operators to take a hard look at their visibility, invest in modern OT cybersecurity that automates both network and host data analysis, and build a strong security culture. The future depends on it.