OT cybersecurity protects operational technology, which includes industrial control systems, PLCs, SCADA, MES, and other systems that run physical operations. It focuses on safety, uptime, and resilience of plants, utilities, and critical infrastructure, which require different controls than traditional IT.

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OT systems often run on legacy hardware that cannot be patched on regular cycles, prioritize availability over confidentiality, and use protocols not commonly seen in IT. They also support physical processes, so a compromise can lead to safety incidents or production downtime, not just data loss.

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bitsIO uses Splunk as the unifying platform to bring OT data from PLCs, SCADA, MES, and ERPs together with IT data. This gives both IT and OT teams a shared view of threats and operational signals, which makes detection and investigation faster and more accurate.

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Common OT risks include ransomware targeting industrial environments, supply chain compromises, insider misuse of operator credentials, exposure of legacy systems to corporate networks, and slow detection due to fragmented monitoring. These risks grow as IT and OT environments converge.

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No. bitsIO works with existing OT security and asset visibility tools and uses Splunk to unify their data with IT security signals. The goal is to remove blind spots between IT and OT teams rather than replace tools each team relies on.

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Outcomes typically include faster threat detection across IT and OT, fewer manual investigations, better visibility into ransomware risk on legacy systems, and shared dashboards that align security and operations teams. Specific outcomes depend on the starting state of the environment.

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Yes. bitsIO is a Splunk Elite Partner with hands-on plant floor experience and works across manufacturing, energy, utilities, and other industrial sectors operating large OT environments.

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IT/OT convergence is the integration of information technology (the systems that run a business) with operational technology (the systems that run physical processes). Convergence improves visibility and efficiency, but it also exposes industrial systems to cyber threats that were once isolated by air gaps.

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Common OT protocols include Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and IEC 61850. These protocols were designed for reliability and real-time control rather than security, which is why monitoring OT traffic alongside IT requires purpose-built integrations.

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No. Passive data collection and out-of-band integrations let teams ingest OT telemetry into Splunk without disrupting production. This is critical in industrial environments where downtime has direct revenue and safety implications.

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