Zero trust gaining traction in OT environments

SecurityWeek reports that more U.S. operational technology environments, especially critical infrastructure entities, have been looking into implementing zero trust security. Forty-one percent of critical infrastructure operators noted being in the early zero trust adoption stages and 88% have already begun moving toward zero trust, while all said they intend future zero trust implementation, according to a survey from Xage. Moreover, equipment overhaul was not cited as a requirement for zero trust adoption by more than 50% of respondents. Meanwhile, proactive security has already been implemented by nearly two-thirds of respondents, with those having begun zero trust adoption noting that the strategy has enabled quicker digital transformation, better user experience, increased operational efficiency, and time and money savings. While inadequate knowledge and resources, as well as "conflicting direction from leadership," have been cited as key hindrances to zero trust adoption, some respondents noted that zero trust integration into company culture, formal goal-defining processes, identity and access management tool adoption, and vulnerability assessments in security architectures have been crucial in addressing such challenges.