OT security is no longer a niche topic reserved for industrial specialists. Today, we observe that most OT environments aren’t hacked, but simply accessed.
Earlier this year, coordinated cyberattacks targeted multiple organizations in Poland’s energy sector, including wind farms, solar plants, and a major combined heat and power facility. What makes this incident particularly alarming is not just the scale, but the lack of complex exploits: attackers relied on exposed VPN access, weak authentication, and poor segmentation to move from IT into OT.
It reflects a clear shift: attackers are no longer targeting only IT environments, but are actively exploiting the connection between IT and Operational Technology (OT).
Our security experts Joris Ignoul and Gerrit Neyrinck explain why this scenario was not exceptional, but rather expected:
Traditionally, Operational Technology (OT) environments — such as SCADA systems, substations, and industrial controllers — were isolated, but that is long gone. To enable remote monitoring, maintenance, and efficiency, OT environments are increasingly connected to IT systems.
In the Polish incident, attackers leveraged exactly this convergence:
👉 These connections are essential for operations, but also create a direct attack path into critical infrastructure.
The Polish CERT report highlights a recurring issue in OT security:
This allowed attackers to scale access quickly across environments.
Once inside, they leveraged:
👉 This is not advanced hacking, but exploiting weak foundations.
The most critical takeaway? This was not a data breach. It was a destructive attack on operational systems.
The attackers:
The impact went beyond IT, and directly affected operational visibility and control.
👉 CERT Polska describes these actions as comparable to digital sabotage.
Despite growing threats, many organizations still treat OT security differently from IT.
Common gaps include:
⚠️ Default Credentials Still Exist
Industrial devices often run with:
⚠️Lack of Network Segmentation
Flat networks allow attackers to:
⚠️ Legacy Systems
OT environments prioritize uptime, meaning:
👉 All of these gaps result in high-value environments with low security maturity
This is where OT security becomes strategic, because a successful attack can lead to:
👉 This is why OT security is increasingly a C-level concern.
To reduce risk, organizations should focus on:
💡Securing remote access
💡Segmenting IT and OT networks
💡Removing default configurations
💡Improving visibility
💡Aligning with compliance frameworks
The key lesson is simple: OT environments are no longer “too specific” to be targeted. They have become prime targets.
The convergence of IT and OT means that actions such as a single compromised VPN account, a single reused password or a single misconfiguration can lead to operational disruption.
Source: Republic of Poland - Ministry of Digital Affairs - Energy Sector Incident Report
At Easi, we help organizations secure their IT/OT ecosystem. Our approach includes:
👉 Discover more about our approach on IT security and OT security
👉 Contact us for tailored guidance
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Gerrit Neyrinck |
Joris Ignoul |
Join us at Cybersec Europe 2026
This year, Easi returns to the largest IT trade fair in Belgium with a brand-new and expanded booth. Here, OT security takes a central role alongside the latest innovations in IT and cybersecurity.
Meet our experts, explore how to secure your IT/OT environments, and get answers to your questions on SOC, SASE, and more. We’ll also dive into other key topics such as AI in IT and GRC.