OT cybersecurity growth is steady and stable – Technologist

Industrial operations are increasingly under threat as the industrial world embraces waves of digitisation and smart manufacturing trends. Operational Technology (OT) attacks are common, widespread, and extremely frequent.

ABI Research forecasts that the OT cybersecurity market will grow from US$12.75 billion in 2023 to around US$21.6 billion by 2028, with an approximate Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.2%. Network security and segmentation technologies will grow the most, followed by identity and access management and end-point protection.

“Every industrial sector imaginable is embracing some digitisation and concept of Industry 4.0. As a result, the potential for cyber threats has also increased, prompting a growing demand for robust defensive measures. This market has lots of space for growth, as there is considerable capacity to expand smart industries,” says Michael Amiri, Senior Industrial Cybersecurity Analyst at ABI Research.   

Already, there is talk among cybersecurity professionals that OT and Internet of Things (IoT) spending could surpass Information Technology (IT) spending in the future, as the number of laptops, tablets, and other IT-related devices has hit a plateau.

Amiri explains, “The fact is that OT and IoT devices are just beginning to expand and are far more numerous. An industrial plant could have tens of thousands of sensors, routers, and PLCs, all of which must be protected from malicious actors. OT cybersecurity revenues are becoming integral to the overall cybersecurity market.”

As more industries digitise, network security, which involves protecting industrial networks and data transmissions, is expected to experience robust growth. Technologies that secure OT networks now possess enhanced capabilities using AI and behavioural traffic analysis to detect and respond to OT-specific network threats. As a result, demand for these security products is seeing strong growth.

Furthermore, segmentation technologies play a central role in securing OT traffic. They not only provide cost-effective partitioning but also allow customisation of security controls and data flows for each isolated segment. ABI Research expects segmentation to generate the most revenue in the OT cybersecurity market.

“Recent macroeconomic pressures do not seem to have impacted the OT cybersecurity market. On the contrary, rapid digitisation and escalating geopolitical tensions have contributed to increased spending and market revenues, especially in sectors most prone to cyberattacks, such as oil and gas, utilities, mining, and manufacturing. These are sectors where OT cybersecurity providers might want to direct their marketing efforts,” Amiri concludes.