Operational Technology (OT) Security: Why Smarter OT Remote Access Should Top Your Priority List

A vendor halfway across the world starts a routine update on a critical operational technology (OT) system. Seconds later, alarms flash. A minor oversight in access levels has triggered a chain reaction of unauthorized changes that ripple through the network. Because of a lack of OT security, production slows to a crawl, engineering teams scramble to find the source, and security leadership realizes they have no visibility into who did what—or how to stop it.

This scenario might sound extreme, but the data from 2025 shows it’s a looming OT security reality for many organizations. As we enter 2026, the convergence of IT and OT has reached a tipping point where traditional trust-based access is no longer a viable strategy.

In this blog, we will examine the current OT threat landscape, the inherent risks of modern industrial connectivity, and how organizations can use Privileged Remote Access to bridge the security gap without disrupting critical operations.

Secure remote access for operational technology environments is not optional. As these environments are no longer fringe targets. They are now directly in the crosshairs of ransomware groups and credential-based attacks, with real world consequences that include production shutdowns, safety risks, and executive accountability. What was once treated as a reliability issue has been elevated to a board-level security problem.

Here are some recent industry data points that underscore the escalating OT security dangers:

• Rising Incident Rates: Nearly 80 ransomware groups were tracked that impacted OT/ICS in 2024—a 60 percent increase from the 50 groups observed in 2023. (Source: Dragos, 2025 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report)

• The Cost of Downtime: More than 50 percent of all observed ransomware victims were in the manufacturing sector, representing 1,171 attacks. Ransomware groups know that even brief disruptions can cause significant financial and logistical fallout, putting safety at risk and making manufacturers more likely to pay. (Dragos, 2025 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report)

• A Shift in the Attack Surface: More than 50 percent of the ransomware incidents responded to in 2024 involved some element of a remote service, such as a VPN appliance or remote desktop protocol (RDP) server being leveraged by adversaries. (Source: Dragos, 2025 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report)

• Hyper-Targeting: 2025 saw a 46% surge in ransomware attacks on industrial operators, along with a staggering 3000% increase in credential‑stealing malware specifically designed for OT environments. (Source: Honeywell 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report)

The common thread across these trends is access. Attackers increasingly target the credentials and remote access paths that connect people to critical OT systems, because that is where they can cause the most damage the fastest. In this environment, how access is granted, monitored, and revoked matters more than ever.

Operational technology is fundamentally different from traditional IT. OT systems control physical processes, from assembly lines and chemical plants to energy distribution and transportation networks. OT system often:

• Run on Legacy Protocols: Many were built decades ago, before cybersecurity was a design requirement.

• Require Continuous Uptime: Unlike an office laptop, an OT controller cannot be taken offline for a mid-day patch.

• Depend on Third Parties: Modern efficiency relies on remote monitoring, cloud integration, and 24/7 vendor support.

While this connectivity improves efficiency, reduces travel costs and time for engineers, and speeds up maintenance, it also introduces new attack surfaces. A single misconfigured access point, a reused credential, or an unmanaged session can quickly cascade into downtime, safety risks, or regulatory violations.

OT networks pose unique challenges. Many are segmented or air-gapped, and legacy systems sit alongside modern digital tools. Teams must maintain safety and reliability while giving engineers, vendors, and support staff the access they need. Without strong identity security controls, organizations become susceptible to operational downtime, safety incidents, data theft, regulatory violations, and extended recovery times. Third-party access and stolen credentials can also allow attackers to move laterally, impacting multiple systems and causing significant financial and reputational damage.

In 2023, several U.S. water facilities had internet-connected industrial control systems (PLCs, etc.) and HMIs exposed with weak or default credentials. Attackers were able to access system dashboards, forcing operators to switch to manual processes and creating potential safety and operational risks. Incidents like this have demonstrated how unmanaged remote access and missing controls can quickly become real-world disruptions. (Source: CISA 2023)

Looking ahead at 2026, the most resilient organizations will be the ones transitioning from “open” connectivity to identity-centric access. You need to know who is in your network, what they are doing, and when they should be kicked out.

This is where BeyondTrust’s Privileged Remote Access (PRA) makes the difference. BeyondTrust product provides secure, controlled access for OT environments with features built for real-world industrial needs.

1. Seamless, Specialized Connectivity

Whether your environment requires agent-based or agentless connections, Privileged Remote Access allows teams to reach endpoints without the friction of installing software on every device.

2. Support for the Purdue Model

By utilizing jump points, Privileged Remote Access supports layered, segmented network architectures. Even in complex Purdue Model environments, your security zones remain intact while allowing necessary maintenance.

3. Just-in-Time (JIT) Access and Least Privilege

Privileged Remote Access enforces multi-factor authentication (MFA) and grants access only for a specific window of time required for the task at hand.

4. Full Session Visibility

Every session can be recorded and monitored, giving security teams visibility into commands, file transfers, and changes in real time. Privileged Remote Access also integrates with enterprise identity providers, ticketing systems, and workflow automation, ensuring access policies tie directly into existing operations without disruption.

The mandate for OT security in 2026 is clear: the reliance on legacy connectivity is now a liability. We’ve seen that industrial environments are facing more frequent and targeted attacks than ever before, with credential theft and ransomware leading the charge. To protect the physical processes, organizations must move away from the all-or-nothing access of the past and embrace granular, identity-driven oversight.

For many, this starts by moving away from traditional VPNs and other insufficient toolsets that lack the visibility and control required for industrial environments. Unlike a standard VPN, which provides broad network access and is a primary target for attackers, BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access is built for the specific rigors of OT. By replacing outdated remote access methods with a purpose-built solution, organizations will see fewer outages by preventing lateral movement, stronger security through enforced MFA and just-in-time permissions, and more confident teams.

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access helps OT organizations manage remote access safely, meet compliance requirements, and keep critical operations running smoothly.

Ready to modernize your industrial security strategy? Get your copy of our OT Security Assessment, and explore our Operational Technology solutions to see how BeyondTrust can help you secure your most critical assets.