Operational Technology & Cyber Security, as an integral part of Cyber Security Services (CSS), specifically focuses on ensuring digital security within operational technology environments. Unlike traditional IT systems, operational technology (OT) includes systems that control physical processes, such as industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA platforms, Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). The dependence on these OT systems in sectors like energy, manufacturing, transportation, and water management makes them critical infrastructure that is vulnerable to cyberattacks with potentially devastating consequences. Fraud in this context often manifests through manipulation of physical processes, data manipulation, or unauthorized access to control mechanisms, which can cause both financial damage and reputational loss. The services in this domain include in-depth technical audits, risk analyses, and the implementation of tailored cybersecurity measures to ensure the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of OT systems.
Financial Mismanagement
Operational technology can inadvertently contribute to financial mismanagement when systems fail to provide transparency or control over the data used and the associated processes. Due to the lack of adequate logging and auditing facilities within OT environments, there is a risk of manipulating performance data, maintenance records, or consumption statistics. Such falsifications can lead to inaccurate reporting to stakeholders and regulators, causing strategic decisions to be based on incorrect information. Cyber Security Services within the OT context use segmented network structures, secure gateways, and data integrity protocols to ensure reliable data collection and processing. This creates a robust foundation for accurate financial reporting and transparent asset management.
Fraud
In OT environments, fraud can occur when malicious actors gain access to systems that control physical production or distribution processes. Examples include manipulating production volumes, disrupting inventory data, or injecting incorrect operational parameters to gain financial advantage. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) and insider threats represent a real danger in this context. Fraud detection focuses on analyzing anomalies in process data, unexpected commands in control logic, and unusual network communication between OT components. By implementing behavioral anomaly detection, secured remote access, and intrusion detection systems specifically tuned for industrial protocols (such as Modbus, DNP3, or OPC-UA), the risk of OT-related fraud is significantly reduced.
Bribery
In operational technology, bribery can occur subtly, such as by influencing supplier choices for critical system components or obtaining unjust service contracts. Such actions can lead to the implementation of inferior or vulnerable components, thereby compromising the cybersecurity of the entire OT environment. Through supply chain auditing, verification of digital certificates, and the recording of complete logs of all configuration changes in OT assets, visibility into unusual patterns in purchasing or maintenance policies is gained. This makes it possible to detect irregularities in supplier interactions and investigate them for corruptive influence.
Money Laundering
While OT is less directly associated with financial transactions, OT systems can be exploited as a means to mask money laundering activities. For example, by manipulating energy consumption or production flows to simulate fictitious activities that serve as a cover for criminal cash flows. Fraudulent reports on production hours, raw material usage, or service deliveries can be used to legitimize false invoices and launder illicit funds. Cyber Security Services in this context focus on correlating OT data with financial record systems (e.g., ERP or SCM). By combining technical monitoring with transactional analysis, irregularities in production claims or consumption statistics can be timely identified and subjected to forensic evaluation.
Corruption
In sectors that heavily rely on operational technology, corruption can manifest through favoritism towards certain suppliers, contractors, or technological partners, often at the expense of cybersecurity standards. This may happen, for example, through contracting parties that are insufficiently compliant with international cybersecurity standards, solely due to personal or political interests. The assessment of OT cybersecurity therefore also focuses on the governance structure and decision-making around asset management and system upgrades. Risk analyses in this domain examine how decision-making processes align with objective security needs and whether audit trails of configuration and procurement decisions are consistent with compliance requirements.
Violations of International Sanctions
OT systems are often supplied by foreign manufacturers, which brings risks related to sanctions compliance. The use of sanctioned software, firmware, or hardware components can lead to serious legal and reputational risks. Additionally, international service providers may unknowingly connect to OT environments through remote support channels, which can result in violations of export or connectivity sanctions. Cyber Security Services therefore conducts extensive supply chain audits, including analysis of embedded components, license contracts, and digital certificates. Automatic synchronization with international sanctions databases is applied to OT asset management systems so that suspicious suppliers or service contracts are immediately flagged for further legal review and remediation.
