FEATURE Packaging
ER DEFENCE
putting it at the core of processes. The first strategy is gaining full visibility of assets and their position in the network. It’s common in CPG to see incomplete or outdated inventories as the rate of modernisation is so quick. As new machines work alongside legacy assets, OT teams need real-time understanding of what is connected and how they communicate to assess risk accurately and demonstrate compliance under the new frameworks. Establishing continuous monitoring means OT teams can take a proactive approach to cyber security. The second strategy is ensuring any new technologies are the right fit for your given application and conducting the right risk assessments. Before exploring advanced capabilities like AI integration or optimising operations, manufacturers must first take a step back and ask, will this new deployment help or hinder our cyber security compliance? Often, CPG teams are already experts in adhering to regulations, so it should be straightforward to apply that expertise to new areas of cyber security.
The third practical strategy is to implement
the correct levels of OT access. OT networks can be segmented for enhanced protection by creating isolated zones to limit access and contain potential breaches. Segmentation and secure access is a practical way to reduce risk, and it doesn’t come at the cost of visibility. Multiple partners and suppliers can be assigned the right level of secure access for their job role and in the event of a breach the impact can be minimised. Shifting regulation will always present a new challenge, and ownership of understanding and applying it to operations sits firmly with OT. The first approach to good cyber resilience is to simplify the process by establishing a unified data environment,
As with digital transformation, achieving the true potential of any deployment or operation shift is down to the all-important people in the workforce where data from previously unconnected silos is collected, sorted and structured, making it easier to access and analyse.
When OT teams have a clear view of operations beyond their day to day role, it is easier to see where risks are, how systems interact, and when new protection protocols should be applied.
It’s also worth noting that a unified data
environment delivers value beyond the immediate. It puts businesses in a strong position to adapt to regulations as they are revised in the future.
Unfortunately cyberattacks are almost inevitable in modern industry, but as regulations focus on outcomes, rather than simply preventing breaches, businesses that can demonstrate resilience, as well as rapid response and recovery, will gain an advantage.
Industrial businesses can simplify the complex
and regulation-heavy world of OT cyber security by using a dedicated partner such as SolutionsPT.
SolutionsPT
www.solutionspt.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
Automation | July/August 2026
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