Introduction
As industrial organizations strive for greater efficiency and streamlined operations, the convergence of IT and operational technology (OT) has become essential. This integration has enabled improved visibility, real-time control, and remote access to critical systems. However, it has also significantly expanded the attack surface, making OT cybersecurity a top priority.
Traditional remote access solutions like VPNs and jump servers are proving insufficient in addressing these evolving security challenges. This article explores Thinfinity® Workspace as the ultimate OT remote access solution, offering a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) approach tailored to industrial control systems (ICS) and other OT environments.
What is OT Secure Remote Access?
OT remote access enables engineers, technicians, and third-party vendors to securely connect to industrial control systems (ICS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) platforms, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and other OT assets from remote locations. This allows organizations to monitor, troubleshoot, and maintain critical infrastructure without being physically on-site.
Benefits of OT Remote Access:
- Operational Efficiency: Reduce downtime by enabling real-time troubleshooting and system adjustments.
- Cost Savings: Minimize travel costs for technicians and third-party vendors.
- Increased Flexibility: Allow personnel to access OT systems securely from anywhere.
- Improved Incident Response: Enable rapid interventions during operational disruptions or cyber incidents.
However, traditional remote access solutions introduce major security risks, increasing vulnerability to cyber threats.
Challenges of Traditional OT Remote Access Solutions
Unlike IT environments, OT systems prioritize availability and reliability over security. This has created major security gaps, including:
1. Insecure Third-Party Vendor Access
Many industrial organizations work with hundreds of external vendors who require access to OT systems for maintenance. Managing and monitoring these connections without compromising security is extremely challenging.
2. Legacy Systems with Limited Security
OT devices often run outdated operating systems and lack modern security features. Many cannot support encryption or advanced authentication mechanisms.
3. Patch Management Challenges
Due to long equipment lifespans, software patches and updates are often delayed or avoided for fear of disrupting critical processes, leaving systems vulnerable.
4. Lack of OT Cybersecurity Expertise
Most OT environments are managed by engineers—not cybersecurity experts. This creates a skills gap in identifying and mitigating cyber threats.
5. Budget Constraints and Slow Adoption of Secure Solutions
Many organizations hesitate to invest in modern cybersecurity solutions, prioritizing operational efficiency over security improvements.
Why VPNs and Jump Servers Fail in OT Security
Many industrial organizations still rely on VPNs or jump servers for remote access, but these solutions introduce significant risks:
- VPNs break OT segmentation: VPNs provide direct access to OT systems, bypassing security layers like the Purdue Model, increasing exposure to cyber threats.
- Jump servers are costly and inefficient: Managing multiple jump servers across facilities creates complexity, high costs, and operational bottlenecks.
- Lack of visibility and access control: Organizations struggle to track who is connecting to which OT assets, leading to security blind spots.
- Credential risks: Stolen VPN credentials grant attackers unrestricted access to sensitive OT systems.
These challenges highlight the urgent need for a Zero Trust approach to OT remote access.
What is Zero Trust for OT Security?
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a security framework that eliminates implicit trust and enforces strict identity verification for every user and device trying to access OT systems. Principles of Zero Trust include:
- Least Privilege Access: Users can only access specific OT systems based on their role.
- Continuous Authentication: Every session requires authentication, reducing credential-based attacks.
- Micro-Segmentation: OT assets are isolated, preventing lateral movement by attackers.
- Comprehensive Visibility: Full monitoring of all access attempts and system changes.
Implementing Zero Trust for OT environments requires an advanced remote access platform—and this is where Thinfinity Workspace excels.
Thinfinity Workspace: A Secure and Scalable OT Remote Access Solution
Thinfinity Workspace is a clientless, Zero Trust-based OT remote access solution designed to replace insecure VPNs and inefficient jump servers. It enables secure, web-based access to OT assets from any device, without exposing the network.
Key Features of Thinfinity Workspace for OT Security:
✓ Zero Trust Architecture: No direct network access—users are authenticated and authorized per session.
✓ Granular Access Control: Limit access to specific devices, applications, or control layers.
✓ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enforce strong authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
✓ No VPN Required: Eliminates attack surface expansion caused by VPN vulnerabilities.
✓ Complete Session Monitoring: Record and audit all user interactions with OT systems.
✓ HTML5-Based, Clientless Access: Connect from any device without needing local software installations.
How Thinfinity Workspace Solves Key OT Remote Access Challenges
1. Third-Party Vendor Access Management
Thinfinity Workspace allows organizations to grant role-based access to vendors, ensuring they only connect to approved OT assets.
2. Secure Legacy Systems
Even if OT systems lack modern security features, Thinfinity provides an isolated, secure access layer to prevent direct exposure.
3. Enhanced Visibility and Auditability
Organizations gain full visibility into who is accessing what assets, reducing security blind spots.
4. Simplified Compliance
Thinfinity Workspace helps meet NIST, IEC 62443, and GDPR compliance by enforcing identity management, access control, and audit logging.
5. Cost-Effective Alternative to VPNs and Jump Servers
By eliminating VPN licensing fees and reducing infrastructure complexity, Thinfinity lowers operational costs while enhancing security.
Conclusion: Future-Proofing OT Cybersecurity with Thinfinity
As cyber threats targeting industrial control systems continue to grow, organizations must adopt secure, scalable, and efficient remote access solutions.
Thinfinity Workspace delivers a modern Zero Trust approach, eliminating the risks associated with VPNs and jump servers while providing seamless, secure, and auditable OT remote access.
Upgrade your OT remote access today with Thinfinity Workspace—because security and efficiency should never be compromised.
FAQs
What makes Thinfinity Workspace different from traditional VPNs?
Thinfinity Workspace eliminates VPN vulnerabilities by enforcing Zero Trust principles, providing role-based access control (RBAC), and ensuring no direct network access between IT and OT environments.
How does Thinfinity Workspace support third-party vendor access?
Thinfinity allows temporary, role-based access for vendors without granting direct connectivity to OT networks. All vendor sessions are monitored and logged for security compliance.
Can Thinfinity Workspace secure legacy OT systems?
Yes, Thinfinity provides an isolated, secure access layer that enables remote management of legacy OT devices without exposing them to cyber threats.
What encryption and security protocols does Thinfinity use?
Thinfinity encrypts all communications using TLS 1.3, ensuring end-to-end data security and protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks.
How does Thinfinity Workspace prevent unauthorized lateral movement in OT networks?
By leveraging micro-segmentation, Thinfinity enforces per-session authentication, ensuring users can only access approved OT assets without crossing security boundaries.
Is Thinfinity Workspace compatible with hybrid or multi-cloud environments?
Yes, Thinfinity can be deployed on-premises, hybrid, or multi-cloud, supporting AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and private data centers.
How does Thinfinity help with compliance in OT security?
Thinfinity Workspace ensures compliance with NIST, IEC 62443, GDPR, and ISA/IEC security frameworks by enforcing strict access control, auditing, and identity management.
What monitoring and auditing features does Thinfinity provide?
Thinfinity includes real-time session monitoring, audit logs, and user activity tracking to ensure full visibility and forensic analysis of all access attempts.
Can Thinfinity Workspace be used for remote troubleshooting in OT environments?
Yes, Thinfinity enables engineers and technicians to remotely monitor, troubleshoot, and update OT systems without disrupting industrial processes.
