Operational Technology (OT).

Hardware and software that monitor and control physical processes, devices, and infrastructure such as factories, power plants, and utilities. It belongs to the OT / ICS / IoT category of cybersecurity.

Hardware and software that monitor and control physical processes, devices, and infrastructure such as factories, power plants, and utilities.

Operational Technology (OT) covers the systems used to operate industrial equipment and physical processes: PLCs, RTUs, DCS, SCADA servers, HMIs, sensors, and actuators. Unlike traditional IT, OT prioritizes availability and safety over confidentiality, often runs for decades on proprietary protocols, and interacts directly with the physical world. Convergence with IT networks and cloud services has dramatically expanded OT's attack surface, while patching windows remain rare because outages can cause physical damage, safety incidents, or production loss. Security strategies emphasize segmentation, asset visibility, secure remote access, and standards such as IEC 62443 and the Purdue model.

Defences for Operational Technology (OT) typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.

Common alternative names include: OT, Industrial cybersecurity.