There's no way to go it alone on cybersecurity. Because no one knows everything, even the most informed and competent end user is going to need help from someone more know-how and information about a certain device, software, best practice or other protection their process or facility requires. Mere mortals usually need cybersecurity help just to get started. Fortunately, there are many well-informed and generous sources, who can provide history, education, encouragement and solutions to make cybersecurity projects workable, efficient, thorough, cost-effective and reliable over the long term.Â
IT vs. OT to Ethernet and IIoTÂ
Laurie Cavanaugh, business development director at E Tech Group, reports that cybersecurity's recent evolution is a natural outgrowth of operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT) learning to work together and speak each other's languages. Located in West Chester Twp., Ohio, E Tech is an engineering and systems integration firm that combined with Superior Controls, Banks Integration and Glenmount Global Solutions in 2018, and presently has more than 400 staffers in 14 locations. Superior is a certified member of the Control System Integrators Association.Â
"We migrated into the IT space 20 years ago due to working in consumer packaged goods (CPG)," says Cavanaugh. "This lets us put on our part-time therapist hat, and explain to both IT and OT that the enemy isn't within and that they need to develop a cybersecurity plan for who's going to do what."
