Cyber security in industrial environments isn’t solely about firewalls, intrusion detection, or access controls—it’s about ensuring that the business itself stays operational, secure, and competitive. That’s why Business-Driven is the foremost principle in the Industrial Cyber Security Principle Method™.
Organisations often treat Operational Technology (OT) security as just a technical task, rolling out solutions without fully considering the business context. The outcome? A cyber security strategy that doesn’t address genuine business needs, creating gaps in both security and operational efficiency.
The Business-Driven approach ensures that security measures align with an organisation’s strategic objectives, operational processes, and risk profile—not merely generic technical requirements. This article will explore what it means to adopt a Business-Driven perspective in OT cyber security.
What Does “Business-Driven” Mean?
A business-driven cyber security approach begins with a thorough understanding of the organisation’s core business processes, especially those related to OT systems. A one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective because industrial cybersecurity risks vary for each organisation.
At its core, this principle requires security teams to:
- Identify key business goals and strategic objectives that need safeguarding.
- Take a multi-dimensional perspective to ensure security measures deliver real business value.
- Define and communicate business risks in terms of opportunities and potential threats.
- Catalogue critical OT business processes that require security measures.
- Analyse organisational structure, business strategies, products, policies, and stakeholder relationships.
- Identify geographic locations that are critical to business operations and security.
- Determine time dependencies and sequential aspects of OT business processes, ensuring both security and performance.
Omitting these steps often results in security strategies that are technically sound but strategically weak—neglecting to meet the actual needs of the business.
Industrial cyber security is a business decision
A truly business-driven industrial cyber security approach goes beyond IT and security teams; it demands input from operations, engineering, management, and business leadership.
By performing a comprehensive, business-focused analysis, organisations can:
- Build security measures that support real-world business needs.
- Avoid common mistakes that leave OT systems vulnerable.
- Ensure long-term security effectiveness and business continuity.
In industrial cyber security, technical excellence without business alignment is a recipe for failure. A Business-Driven approach ensures that security isn’t just an IT function—it’s a core business enabler.
If your organisation isn’t fully aligning cyber security efforts with business priorities, now is the time to rethink your strategy.
Download the White Paper to learn more about the Industrial Cyber Security Princple Method