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OT Security for Manufacturing

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Reduce cyber risk while enabling secure digital transformation

Manufacturers are rapidly connecting operational technology (OT), industrial control systems (ICS) and production assets to IT networks and cloud environments. While this connectivity delivers greater visibility, efficiency and automation, it also creates new cybersecurity challenges.

Systems that were once physically isolated now share communications pathways with business applications, email systems, remote users and internet-connected services. As a result, manufacturers face a growing attack surface that can expose operations to disruption, data loss, intellectual property theft and safety risks.

OpenBlue Airwall helps manufacturers modernize securely by protecting critical systems while enabling digital transformation initiatives.

The challenge

Today’s manufacturing environments must balance operational efficiency with cybersecurity.

As IT and OT environments converge, organizations face increased risk from:

  • Unauthorized access to industrial control systems
  • Production downtime and operational disruption
  • Intellectual property theft
  • Customer and business data breaches
  • Lateral movement across manufacturing networks
  • Safety and compliance concerns
  • Cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure

Traditional security approaches often struggle to protect highly connected manufacturing environments while maintaining the access and visibility required for modern operations.

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The OpenBlue Airwall solution

OpenBlue Airwall helps manufacturers secure industrial environments using a zero trust architecture built specifically for connected operational technology and industrial systems.

Rather than trusting users or devices by default, Airwall verifies every connection before access is granted. This approach creates secure, software-defined segmentation that limits exposure and helps prevent unauthorized movement throughout the network.

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Key benefits

  • Secure IT and OT convergence
  • Zero trust access for industrial systems
  • Microsegmentation for critical assets and production environments
  • Consistent security policies across plant, enterprise, and cloud environments
  • Protection against lateral cyberattacks
  • Reduced operational risk without disrupting production
  • Secure connectivity between users, devices, applications, and systems

By establishing trust before connectivity occurs, Airwall enables authenticated and authorized communications between endpoints using trusted machine identities that cannot be easily exploited or spoofed.

The result is a more secure manufacturing environment that supports productivity, innovation and business continuity.

Secure network segmentation for modern manufacturing

For decades, manufacturers relied on the Purdue Model to establish security and access zones within industrial environments.

While today’s connected operations often require greater interaction between OT and IT systems, the need for segmentation remains critical.

OpenBlue Airwall extends these principles through zero trust network segmentation, helping manufacturers isolate critical systems, reduce attack pathways and improve security across increasingly connected environments.

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Talk with an expert

Discover how OpenBlue Airwall can help protect critical manufacturing systems while supporting secure digital transformation initiatives.

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What our customers are saying

“Our Managed Services leverage Tempered’s Airwall technology to deliver the most secure remote access solution for critical endpoints for owners and managers, whether they are corporate, REIT, government, healthcare, or higher education. Our very demanding requirements for our remote access solution include 1:1-only connections that are invisible to the Internet and the elimination of all personal use.”

— VP of Security, Global Manufacturing Organization

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Why manufacturers choose OpenBlue Airwall

Stop lateral attacks before they reach critical systems

Traditional interior firewalls can create complexity without fully eliminating risk. OpenBlue Airwall uses zero trust segmentation to restrict communications only to authorized users, devices and systems, reducing opportunities for attackers to move throughout the network.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is OT security in manufacturing?
    Operational Technology (OT) security refers to the protection of the systems, devices and networks that monitor and control manufacturing operations. This includes industrial control systems (ICS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, sensors, robotics and other production equipment. Effective OT security helps manufacturers reduce cyber risk, maintain production uptime and protect critical infrastructure.
  • How does zero trust improve manufacturing cybersecurity?
    Zero trust security requires every user, device, application and connection to be verified before access is granted. Instead of automatically trusting systems inside the network, a zero trust approach continuously enforces access controls and limits connectivity only to authorized entities. For manufacturers, this helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access, ransomware, and lateral movement across IT and OT environments.
  • How can manufacturers protect industrial control systems from cyber threats?
    Manufacturers can strengthen industrial control system (ICS) security by implementing network segmentation, limiting user access, securing remote connections, monitoring critical assets and adopting a zero trust architecture. By isolating critical systems and ensuring only authorized users and devices can communicate, organizations can reduce exposure to cyber threats while improving operational resilience.
  • What is microsegmentation for manufacturing networks?
    Microsegmentation is a security strategy that creates highly controlled communication pathways between specific systems, devices, applications and users. Instead of allowing broad network access, microsegmentation limits connectivity to only what is required for a particular operation. In manufacturing environments, this can help protect production systems, reduce attack pathways and contain threats before they spread across the network.
  • How do you secure IT and OT environments while maintaining production uptime?
    Securing converged IT and OT environments requires a balance between cybersecurity and operational continuity. Manufacturers can improve security by implementing zero trust principles, segmenting critical systems, controlling remote access and applying consistent security policies across both environments. Solutions that work alongside existing infrastructure can help organizations enhance protection without disrupting production processes or requiring major network redesigns.
  • Why is network segmentation important in manufacturing environments?
    Network segmentation helps separate critical manufacturing systems from other areas of the network, reducing the potential impact of cyber incidents. By isolating production assets, industrial control systems and business applications, manufacturers can limit unauthorized access, improve visibility and strengthen cyber resilience.
  • How can manufacturers securely enable remote access to production systems?
    Remote access is often required for plant personnel, vendors, contractors, and equipment manufacturers to support maintenance and troubleshooting activities. A secure remote access solution uses strong authentication, identity-based access controls and encrypted communications to provide access only to approved systems while reducing exposure to internet-based threats.
  • What are the benefits of zero trust network segmentation for manufacturing?
    Zero trust network segmentation helps manufacturers:
    • Reduce the attack surface across IT and OT environments
    • Protect critical industrial systems and assets
    • Prevent unauthorized lateral movement
    • Improve visibility and access control
    • Support secure IT/OT convergence
    • Strengthen resilience against ransomware and cyberattacks
    • Simplify security management across facilities and production sites
  • How can manufacturers support digital transformation while improving cybersecurity?
    As manufacturers adopt connected technologies, automation, cloud applications and Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions, cybersecurity must evolve alongside these initiatives. A zero trust architecture helps organizations connect assets securely, enforce consistent policies and reduce cyber risk while enabling innovation, operational efficiency and digital transformation goals.
  • What types of industrial systems can OpenBlue Airwall help protect?
    Key capabilities include:
    • Industrial control systems (ICS)
    • SCADA environments
    • PLCs and automation systems
    • Manufacturing execution systems (MES)
    • Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices
    • Robotics and automated production equipment
    • Remote facilities and plant networks
    • Hybrid IT and OT environments