For too long, we’ve been trapped in a flawed approach to OT/ICS Security. As someone who has navigated the complexities of this field for years, I’ve seen it all: from the early dismissal of OT/ICS Security as a non-issue to the recent awakening that our infrastructure is just as vulnerable to OT/ICS disruptions as any other part of our operations.

The marketplace has been flooded with new OT/ICS Security solutions, each promising to solve specific problems better—whether it’s OT/ICS visibility, OT/ICS threat monitoring, OT/ICS remote access, or any other flavor of the day.

But here’s the harsh truth: despite these advancements, our collective strategy remains fundamentally broken. It’s time for a seismic shift in our thinking.

Let me challenge you with an analogy. Picture your home as an OT/ICS environment. We all know our homes are vulnerable to threats—burglars (hackers) and pests (malware). So we invest in high-tech security cameras, advanced locks, and state-of-the-art mouse traps. But guess what? These measures only scratch the surface. They give us visibility, control and some prevention, but don’t truly stop the threats. Every so-called “next-gen” product merely shifts the goalposts.

Here’s the radical idea that struck me: What if we stop endlessly patching up defenses and start making our assets completely invisible to threats?

Imagine a “cloaking device” for your house. If your valuables and vulnerabilities were hidden from sight, even the most sophisticated burglar or rodent would be unable to find or disrupt them.

This isn’t science fiction. The US Air Force made this revolutionary shift years ago, moving from enhancing jet speed and agility to developing virtually invisible aircraft with stealth technology. This groundbreaking change led to the creation of the B-2 bomber and the F-22 fighter jet.

Now, we’re on the brink of applying this revolutionary mindset to OT/ICS security, and it’s the main reason why I joined Opscura—a trailblazing company that is fundamentally reimagining how we protect OT/ICS environments. Opscura isn’t about adding more “mouse traps.” We’re about a complete overhaul in security philosophy.

Our approach involves deploying Via’s—innovative, quick-to-install appliances that (automatically) discover, compartmentalize, and shield your OT/ICS network in days, rendering critical and vulnerable assets invisible to unauthorized users. By leveraging cutting-edge, non-disruptive, encryption technology, we ensure access is tightly controlled and segmented.

The future of OT/ICS security isn’t about incremental upgrades. It’s about securing your environment by design. With Opscura, you can adopt this groundbreaking strategy swiftly and cost-effectively—transforming your security landscape in just days.

Prepare for a paradigm shift. We’re not just improving security; we’re revolutionizing it. The era of conventional OT/ICS security is over.

Welcome to the future.

Obbe Knoop is the CRO at Opscura and has been active in the OT Security space for more than a decade, from early OT Security engagements at IBM to tenures at Nozomi Networks, Armis and Phosphorus. His vast global experience in the OT Security space and interactions with Fortune 1000 customers has given him a great perspective on the challenges organizations face in securing their OT/ICS Infrastructures.