Contemporary Cyber Security and CNI: Converging IT and OT Cyber Security
Guest blog: Raj Badiani – Head of Digital at Raytheon UK as part of our #Cyber2021 week.
Digital transformation, accelerated cloud adoption, the rate of technological change and the subsequent expanded threat surface continue to cause organisations in critical sectors to rethink how they manage an equally evolving cyber risk to protect assets and data.
Advancements in digital technology offer organisations unprecedented levels of dynamism, agility and efficiencies, with other benefits including cost optimisation, reliability, speed and scalability. The spectre of widely dispersed, inter-connected networks and the Internet of Things, however, pose new challenges for security teams who now need to protect data perceived as residing in environments they do not necessarily control. As organisations adopt new ways of working, with some transitioning from legacy IT practices and infrastructure, so too must they adopt innovative and proactive cyber security strategies. “Out of the box” security controls and technology, underpinned by “check box” compliance frameworks, are no longer sufficient, placing businesses and organisations at significant risk of compromise from a cyber-attack.
This is especially concerning for critical sectors like the nuclear sector, as the consequences of compromise through a cyber-attack are potentially catastrophic. The prospect of losing control of a nuclear facility to a threat actor, large scale power outages, or a compromise resulting in the loss or degradation of Safety, Security & Emergency Preparedness (SSEP) functions is daunting. Unlike a commercial entity that fears financial loss or reputational damage, an attack on the UK’s critical national infrastructure can have far reaching impact on public health and safety.
Inevitable complexity is introduced in these sectors as owners and operators of Operational Technology (OT) embrace internet connected capabilities to deliver real-time, scalable practice. Legacy Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and networks are connected with internet facing devices in a converged environment. Industrial IT functions, traditionally performing electronic or manual operations, become more dependent on data driven capabilities leveraging advanced analytics and automation. In turn this facilitates more efficient, optimised processes to better inform decision making, however exposes these sectors to more frequent cyber-attacks. As well as traditional industrial sabotage motives, it offers a potentially easier route to exploit a now expanded network and fused digital environment through less well protected ICS/OT systems.
Cyber resilience is therefore a growing concern for critical national infrastructure operators. Until recently, industrial control systems and operational technology devices were deployed in isolation and largely disconnected. Little consideration was given to ensuring coherence with security controls applied to IT systems. Closed off from traditional IT networks and infrastructure, there was no requirement for IT security teams to consider operational technology in their cyber defence strategies. However as more devices become IP enabled, an IT/OT network eco-system emerges with more than a blurring of boundaries from a cyber security perspective. Threats, vulnerabilities and associated risks must therefore be considered holistically, and operators should assess using industry standards such as ISO 27001.
The existing IT cyber security market in the UK is not yet sufficiently capturing OT/IoT requirements. Subsequently, OT cyber security maturity remains comparatively under-developed. There is a lack of integration, placing critical systems at significant risk as they become more interconnected. This is a key area that must be addressed in order to achieve an end-to-end IT/OT cyber security posture in critical sectors.
A proactive approach must recognise the convergence of IT and OT. Critical assets and data must be identified across both networks and correlated in a risk management plan. Security operations should provision for real-time monitoring and visibility across all IT/OT endpoints and network traffic, underpinned by security analytics and threat intelligence. Security teams can then apply consistent rules and configurations across all infrastructure and environments. Active defence and proactive monitoring combined with a common security posture across IT and OT will enable rapid detection, immediate response and early remediation, resulting in the minimisation of business impact and disruption of services regardless of whether the attack targets the IT or OT environment.
Operators of critical services must now consider both IT and OT systems and networks and not treat either in isolation when protecting against cyber vulnerabilities and risk. With the announcement of the UK government ‘s new independent body to oversee standards in the UK’s cybersecurity sector, this brings some hope to address the increasingly challenging task of securing digital technologies at nuclear facilities.
However, with a universal IT/OT cyber security strategy, organisations can reap the benefits of digital transformation, IoT and other next generation technologies and do so securely. With security at the forefront of new initiatives and “baked” in from the start, rather than being an afterthought, it can become a powerful enabler to assisting the sectors like nuclear to realise their digital vision.
Jill Broom
Head of Cyber Resilience, techUK
Jill Broom
Head of Cyber Resilience, techUK
Jill leads the techUK Cyber Resilience programme, having originally joined techUK in October 2020 as a Programme Manager for the Cyber and Central Government programmes. She is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security ecosystem, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Jill also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and government conduit for supporting the growth of the sector. A key focus of her work is to strengthen the public–private partnership across cyber to support further development of UK cyber security and resilience policy.
Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.
Olivia Staples joined techUK in May 2025 as a Junior Programme Manager in the Cyber Resilience team.
She supports the programs mission to promote cyber resilience by engaging key commercial and government stakeholders to shape the cyber resilience policy towards increased security and industry growth. Olivia assists in member engagement, event facilitation and communications support.
Before joining techUK, Olivia gained experience in research, advocacy, and strategic communications across several international organisations. At the Munich Security Conference, she supported stakeholder engagement and contributed to strategic communications. She also worked closely with local and national government stakeholders in Spain and Italy, where she was involved in policy monitoring and advocacy for both public and private sector clients.
Olivia holds an MSc in Political Science (Comparative Politics and Conflict Studies) from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies from University College London (UCL).
Outside of tech, Olivia enjoys volunteering with local charities and learning Norwegian.
Annie is the Programme Manager for Cyber Resilience at techUK. She first joined as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
In her role, Annie supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector. Annie also coordinates events, engages with policy makers and represents techUK at a number of cyber security events.
Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy Modha
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Francesca Richiusa
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.