Remote access has become essential. However, for most industrial organizations, it’s also become the most dangerous blind spot in their cybersecurity posture.
The tools many teams still rely on VPNs, jump servers, and shared logins that were never built for today’s OT and IT environments. These legacy systems were designed decades ago, when connectivity was simpler and threats were fewer.
But today, 88% of industrial sites identify remote access as their most significant cybersecurity risk¹. And attackers know it.
The Problem: Fragmented Access = Expanding Risk
If you can’t clearly answer who’s accessing what, when, and from where, then you’re exposed unnecessarily. Not just to cyber threats, but to downtime, operational delays, and compliance gaps.
Legacy tools like VPNs and jump servers introduce serious risk because:
- They allow insecure endpoints to connect directly to sensitive systems
- They lack granular access control, visibility, or audit trails
- They offer persistent access, increasing insider threat exposure
- They’re hard to maintain and patch, and harder to scale
- They don’t support just-in-time access or modern security standards
Real-World Example: What Can Go Wrong?
A natural gas-fired power plant relied on outdated, fragmented remote access tools. User authentication was inconsistent and visibility limited. As a result, unauthorized users were able to access operational systems, triggering major security and compliance concerns.
The impact?
- Increased risk of cyberattack
- Manual workarounds to verify access
- Compliance issues under NERC CIP
- Delays and added operational costs
After implementing a secure access platform, the plant centralized authentication, enforced role-based access, and gained real-time visibility eliminating blind spots and regaining control.
The Shift to Modern Access Control
Modern OT and critical infrastructure teams need more than perimeter security; they need access control that is:
- Identity-based
- Real-time and auditable
- Unified across IT and OT domains
- Built for constrained and hybrid environments
A strong access control framework allows you to:
- Control who gets in, and what they can do
- Align with global security standards (NERC CIP, IEC 62443, TSA, NIS2)
- Streamline operations and reduce admin overhead
- Strengthen your security posture without sacrificing usability
Don’t Wait for a Breach to Take Back Control
Most access failures aren’t about firewalls; they’re about trusting the wrong things by default. It’s time to rethink how your teams and partners connect to your most critical systems.
- Evaluate your current remote access policies
- Identify gaps in visibility, enforcement, and auditability
- Start exploring secure access solutions purpose-built for industrial environments
Want to Read More, Check Out: “The Risks of Inadequate User Access Control in Critical Infrastructure”
Endnotes
Published November 12, 2025.