Implementing Secure-By-Design Frameworks in OT Environments

David Stebbings

Senior Associate – Europe Cyber Account Lead, Booz Allen Hamilton

Whether modernizing an existing industrial site or building a new plant from the ground up, integrating OT cybersecurity throughout the development lifecycle is critically important to ensure future resilient operations.  True OT ‘security-by-design’ requires cybersecurity principles to be injected beginning at the earliest stages of the development lifecycle; from Conceptual Design and Procurement, to Commissioning and Handover, and into ongoing Sustainment. 

The Secure by Design OT framework encompasses both security elements and industry best practices in stages that align to the OT system development lifecycle to create a framework process flow. To ensure a sustainable and repeatable process output that embodies security principles, security elements must be injected throughout each phase as below:

• Conceptual Design & Initial Specifications: Key security considerations include defining OT cybersecurity requirements, legal & regulatory requirements, organization risk tolerance, and relevant standards (i.e. NIST SP 800-82), to support the development of OT governance, policies, plans, and procedures.
• Front-End & Detailed Engineering: Key security considerations include secure architecture and network design including the delineation of OT network zones criticality & business impact, network segmentation, configuration design, and change management practices.
• Procurement: Key security considerations in addressing escalating Supply Chain risk include country-of-origin analysis, vendor security practice evaluation or attestation, supplier redundancy, export/import control compliance, and inclusion of security provisions within procurement contracts. 
• Construction: Key security considerations include comprehensive technical security evaluation including assessments, penetration testing, and product evaluation FAT (factory acceptance testing) and iFAT (integrated factory acceptance test). 
• Commissioning: Key security considerations include a similar comprehensive security evaluation by site personnel including assessments, penetration testing, and product evaluation for the purpose of SAT (site acceptance testing). 
• Handover: Key security considerations include socializing OT cybersecurity initiatives across stakeholder groups, comprehensive cybersecurity education, training, and awareness programs including hands-on workshops, structured learning modules, and tabletop exercises (TTXs) tailored to the unique needs of OT environments. 
• Review & Monitoring (In-Service): Key security considerations include implementing continuous monitoring solutions with anomaly-based monitoring and threat intelligence integration, establishing a centralized Security Operations Center (SOC) for OT or integrating OT-specific monitoring within an existing SOC, and developing a well-defined incident response & recovery framework tailored for OT systems.
• Decommissioning: Key security considerations are validating asset dependencies, implementing controlled shutdown procedures, ensuring that all security controls remain intact during decommissioning, and performing secure asset disposal and data destruction.
• DEFCON/Emergency Operations: Key security considerations are pre-defined incident response protocols, hardened network segmentation, rapid threat containment strategies that prioritize real-time threat monitoring, a strong institutional understanding of the interplay between the Safety Instrumented System (SIS) and the OT system, and secure failover mechanisms to sustain critical operations while minimizing the attack surface.

These insights and our underlying approach are grounded in robust global experience in OT Cybersecurity implementation and assessment projects across critical industries such as critical manufacturing, electric/hydroelectric, oil & gas, nuclear, pharmaceutical manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, transport & logistics, maritime, retail manufacturing, water & wastewater, and more. 

While the security dimensions described only represent a sample of the necessary OT security program considerations, initiating these conversations early in the system lifecycle with intentionality and care can have a significant impact on the resulting OT security posture of the site and avoid costly program overhauls or security incidents down the line.

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 Meet the team 

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.

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Annie Collings

Programme Manager, Cyber Resilience, techUK

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.

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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.

 

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Olivia Staples

Junior Programme Manager - Cyber Resilience, techUK

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.

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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!

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Authors

David Stebbings

Senior Associate – Europe Cyber Account Lead, Booz Allen Hamilton