Events , Governance & Risk Management , GovWare
IT as OT's Shield: Visibility Matters in Converged Defense
Delinea's Joseph Carson on Why Digital Credentials Remain a Critical Vulnerability
The increasing interconnectivity between IT and operational technology systems has eliminated the concept of air-gapped environments, exposing organizations to new vulnerabilities through digital identities, said Joseph Carson, chief security scientist and advisory CISO at Delinea.
See Also: How Enterprise Browsers Enhance Security and Efficiency
"One of the most overlooked areas is definitely around the access controls and digital identities that we need to prioritize and protect those where we possibly can," Carson said. "When we realistically think about it, between IT and OT, IT is that kind of first layer of defense for OT environments. It's how it's been accessed and monitored."
Carson added that response time is a critical distinguishing factor between IT and OT environments, particularly when disruptions occur. "Sometimes you can live without IT systems for a few days or some hours. When it comes to OT, OT is in seconds," he said, sharing his experience of working in healthcare where service unavailability could have life-threatening consequences within minutes.
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at the GovWare Conference and Exhibition 2024, Carson also discussed:
- Evolution of ransomware tactics from encryption to data extortion and extraction;
- How to address emerging security challenges in 2025;
- The practical applications of AI and behavioral analytics in strengthening defenses.
Carson is an ethical hacker with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise security, specializing in blockchain, endpoint security, network security, application security and virtualization, access controls, and privileged account management. He’s a cybersecurity adviser to several governments, as well as critical infrastructure, financial and maritime industries.
