Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader integrating networking and security, has unveiled its latest release of integrated operational technology (OT) security solutions and services. These additions further distance Fortinet’s industry-leading OT Security Platform from the rest of the market.
“We understand that OT differs significantly from traditional IT systems, and that’s why our OT Security Platform was purposefully built to provide integrated protection and risk management specific to industrial environments,” said John Maddison, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP, Product Strategy at Fortinet. “Rising attacks on critical infrastructure have made OT security more important than ever before. With today’s news, Fortinet continues to empower customers with the most sophisticated OT solutions and intelligence in the industry.”
The Need for Integrated OT-Specific Security
The number of industrial devices connected beyond their network boundaries is rapidly increasing, and CISOs now face skyrocketing risks across their OT environments. In fact, Fortinet found that 75% of OT organizations reported at least one intrusion in the last year, and approximately 33% reported falling victim to a ransomware attack. To solve this challenge, organizations need an integrated security approach designed specifically for industrial solutions that enables policy enforcement across the entire attack surface, consolidates point products, and reduces operational overhead.
Bolstering the Fortinet OT Security Platform with New and Enhanced Offerings
The Fortinet OT Security Platform is an integrated portfolio of cybersecurity products, solutions, and security services designed specifically for industrial networks, and powered by real-time OT threat intelligence. Because the OT Security Platform is part of the Fortinet Security Fabric, it empowers customers with deep visibility across their entire environment and securely facilitates IT/OT convergence. The platform also gives organizations the ability to implement a zero-trust model within OT environments, including secure remote access to OT assets and systems for remote employees and contractors.
Today's announcement includes updates to the OT Security Platform, building upon enhancements unveiled earlier this year, encompassing two vital pillars of the Security Fabric:
Secure Networking for OT
Fortinet has introduced several new products and updates designed to meet the specific needs of various industries and environments. The FortiSwitch Rugged 424F is an industrial-class ethernet switch that caters to digital substations and the power utility industry, providing real-time OT networking protocols— integrating with FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) for enhanced security. The FortiAP 432F access point is now certified for hazardous OT environments, allowing for the segmentation of industrial Wi-Fi networks to prevent attacks from spreading. The FortiExtender Vehicle 211F wireless gateway offers a semi-ruggedized mobility solution for connected fleets and OT deployments, meeting the requirements of the AT&T FirstNet wireless communications network. Lastly, Fortinet's operating system, FortiOS, has been updated with the OT View dashboard, enabling organizations to easily understand and manage their entire attack surface, both in IT and OT, from a single console.
Security Operations and Services for OT
Fortinet has introduced a range of updates and services to enhance OT security:
- FortiAnalyzer now offers OT-specific analytics, risk, and compliance reports, enabling security operations teams to detect threats faster and correlate assets and vulnerabilities.
- FortiNDR supports multiple OT-network protocols and utilizes AI-powered behavior analysis to identify malicious activity.
- FortiDeceptor, the deception technology, now supports 30 OT protocols and additional decoys for improved protection.
- The FortiGuard OT Security Service provides comprehensive threat intelligence, covering over 70 OT protocols and 4,000 vulnerability signatures.
- FortiGuard Outbreak Alerts now include critical information on OT-specific threats, empowering customers to strengthen their systems in line with the NIST Cyber Security Framework.
"IT and OT are converging, and these colliding environments are increasing overall risk. Our clients require robust OT solutions and services, without extensive deployments that complicate administration and place additional strain on IT and security teams. Through the Fortinet OT Security Platform, we can provide clients with a unified approach, safeguarding both the carpeted side of a business as well as the concrete side of the business. We eagerly anticipate introducing these updated and novel offerings to our customer community," said Dan Sanderson, VP of Strategy, Cyber Advisors.
