Federal Operational Technology (OT) environments (underpinning critical infrastructure) are increasingly converging with enterprise IT and cloud systems, as well as emerging AI agents. With remote access and third-party support now standard, traditional security models are breaking down, requiring a careful balance between security, availability, and mission continuity.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has now reinforced that zero trust must be adapted for OT, not simply copied from IT environments. This adaptation must account for legacy systems, segmented networks, and specific operational risk tolerances.
CISA’s guidance highlights five core zero trust principles crucial for federal agencies:
- Visibility: You cannot protect what you cannot see; start by establishing a complete, continuously updated OT asset inventory and mapping communication flows.
- Segmentation: Segment OT networks aggressively from IT, isolate critical assets, and implement microsegmentation to reduce the blast radius of a potential compromise.
- Least privilege: Enforce access based on identity and job function, moving away from shared credentials and static permissions.
- Secure remote access: Minimize always-on remote access and eliminate implicit trust in VPNs, offering tightly controlled, just-in-time access for vendors and third parties.
- Resilience: Operate with an “assume breach” mindset, designing systems to limit impact and ensuring redundancy for critical OT operations.
A modern security architecture such as Netskope’s helps agencies extend these zero trust principals across hybrid IT/OT environments while maintaining the safety and continuity requirements of critical infrastructure. Netskope can enforce least privilege by granting access at the application level and providing consistent visibility and inline threat protection to help reduce dwell time and limit impact.
Ready to dive deeper into CISA’s recommendations and learn how to implement these zero trust principles in your OT environment?
Download the full eBook for a complete breakdown of CISA’s guidance and practical implementation strategies.
