Securing Remote Access in OT: A Critical Control for Modern Risk

Operational Technology (OT) environments are more dependent than ever on remote access—for vendor support, troubleshooting, and data sharing—yet each connection can expand the attack surface. From disruptive ransomware to the cascading impacts seen in events like Ukraine’s 2015 grid attacks and Colonial Pipeline, the lesson is clear: Remote access is both a necessity and a potential vulnerability. This webcast distills guidance from the forthcoming SANS whitepaper and frames secure OT remote access through the SANS Five Critical Controls for OT (5CC), with a focused look at Control 4: Secure Remote Access.

SANS Certified Instructor Mike Hoffman will explain how Dispel’s OT-first remote access platform implements 5CC-aligned safeguards—covering architecture, deployment patterns (cloud, BYO-cloud, on-prem), connection models (browser-connect, VDI, app), and operational controls (ACLs, time-based access, port/protocol governance). You’ll see how moving-target defense, disposable sessions, vaulted credentials, granular auditing, and compliance artifacts can reduce dwell time and simplify investigations—while preserving operator productivity.

What You Will Learn

• Why IT-style solutions fall short in plants and substations
• How the SANS Five Critical Controls (5CC) map to remote-access design
• Dispel’s architecture and hierarchy—and where each layer enforces policy
• When to use browser-connect, VDI, or app-based access
• Vendor lifecycle management
• A step-by-step blueprint to align users, groups, and assets to your access hierarchy
   

Why Attend?

• You’ll leave with a pragmatic, 5CC-aligned checklist for implementing and operating secure OT remote access—plus a concrete understanding of where an OT-specific platform like Dispel can reduce risk and complexity without slowing operations.