Data centers are the beating heart of operations for countless organizations. The seamless flow of critical data within these infrastructures is essential for maintaining business continuity and ensuring optimal performance. However, as technology advances and dependencies on data centers increase, so do the threats that loom over them. Malicious disruption of data centers can mean data, financial, and operational capacity loss, zero-day attacks, ransomware infiltration (and exfiltration), and massive systems outages. This is where Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity comes in, playing an essential role in securing the lifelines of our modern way of life.
Targeted Attacks: The Assets at Risk
Inside these data centers are an array of critical assets being targeted by threat actors. Across the broader spectrum of industries, building management systems (BMS), fire suppression systems, HVAC, PLCs, surveillance systems, and power distribution systems are made vulnerable when data centers are breached.
So, what do we do to prevent these assets from compromise? In this blog we’ll take a look at three key areas to focus on when securing critical data centers.
1. Trusted Oversight: Implementing Secure Monitoring
Monitoring is the watchtower of the data center, providing constant vigilance over the health and performance of critical systems. OT cybersecurity extends its protective reach to secure monitoring by implementing measures that guard against malicious activities and potential vulnerabilities.
Secure monitoring protocols encrypt data transmissions, preventing unauthorized parties from gaining insights into the operational status of the data center. Additionally, anomaly detection, one-way data flow, and real-time alerts empower cybersecurity teams to respond swiftly to potential threats, maintaining the resilience of the infrastructure.
2. Control the Flow of Data: Secure File Transfer
At the core of data center operations lies the need for efficient and secure file transfer mechanisms. The transfer of files, software updates, and patches between servers, systems, and devices demands comprehensive defense against potential threats. OT cybersecurity ensures that what’s exchanged across domains is shielded from unauthorized access, tampering, or interception.
Secure file transfer ensures the integrity of data, mitigating the risk of corruption and exploitation. Whether it's proprietary or sensitive data, critical patches, or firmware/software updates, OT cybersecurity helps to ensure this data remains protected.
3. Remote Control: Empowering Security Without Compromising Access
The significance of implementing robust measures for remote access cannot be overstated. Specifically, the seamless integration of remote monitoring from OT to IT and the establishment of a sanitized file transfer protocol from IT to OT play pivotal roles in fortifying overall security posture. The integration of remote monitoring fosters a proactive approach to security by allowing real-time oversight without the need for physical presence. Simultaneously, the implementation of a sanitized file transfer mechanism ensures that data exchanged between IT and OT remains free from malicious elements, further mitigating the risk of compromise.
In instances where remote access becomes a necessity, it is paramount to institute secure remote-access measures. This adds a crucial layer of defense, preventing unauthorized access and bolstering the resilience of the data center against potential cyberthreats.
OPSWAT: Ensuring Resilience in an Evolving Landscape
In the age of digital transformation, data centers are the nerve centers that drive innovation and productivity. However, the increasing complexity and interconnectivity of these infrastructures demand a proactive approach to cybersecurity, with a specific focus on secure file transfer, secure remote control, and secure monitoring.
OPSWAT NetWall is the trusted solution to mitigate risks for all three of these focuses. Whether it’s the hardware-enforced one-way data transfers of the MetaDefender Optical Diode (OPSWAT's data diode) or Unidirectional Security Gateway (USG), the MetaDefender Bilateral Security Gateway (BSG) for added security on bilateral data transfers and remote command and control, the added MetaDefender threat prevention technology of MetaDefender Transfer Guard, or a combination of them to form a hardened perimeter around data centers, OPSWAT is ready to help you defend what’s critical.
Learn more about NetWall and talk to an expert today to discover why OPSWAT is the critical advantage in OT cybersecurity.
