Earlier this December, I had the opportunity to attend an insightful session at Howest focused on Operational Technology (OT) Security. While IT security often dominates the conversation, OT is an equally critical and fascinating area within the broader field of cybersecurity. During the event, experts Stijn Boussemaere (Spinae), Tijl Deneut (e-BO Enterprises), and Laurens Singier (Howest Cyber3Lab) shared their perspectives and expertise, shedding light on the unique challenges and solutions in OT security.
Stijn kicked things off by explaining why OT Security is of crucial importance. With a few recent examples, he illustrated the impact of cyber attacks. A perfect example was the story of a cyberattack on a steel plant in Khuzestan, Iran, in June 2022. In this incident, hackers seized complete control over the facility’s network—including both production systems and surveillance cameras. They even documented the aftermath themselves, filming the chaos as a high oven went completely out of control.
Tijl followed up by giving us a look into OT security in the offshore energy sector—one of the focus areas of e-BO Enterprises. He emphasized how different IT and OT are and that you need a different approach to security for each.
Laurens wrapped up the session with some ethical hacking. He showcased the capabilities of Shodan—a search engine for internet-connected devices—and explained how it can be leveraged to uncover OT systems online. Laurens also highlighted real-world vulnerabilities he discovered in OT environments, illustrating the dangers present in these environments.
This was a very interesting session, with Stijn, Tijl, and Laurens each sharing valuable knowledge and real-world insights into OT security. It’s definitely a subject I want to learn more about!