Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Everybody loves a good throwback. Flip phones, vinyl records, and maybe even the dial-up tone for nostalgia’s sake. But if your operational technology (OT) and industrial internet of things (IIoT) environment is still relying on traditional VPNs to connect users, vendors, and machines, that’s one throwback you really don’t want. OT systems have evolved. They’re smarter, more connected, and unfortunately more vulnerable than ever.

It’s been nearly three years since UNECE WP.29 regulations came into force for new vehicle types in Europe, and the global ripple effect is in full motion. WP.29 laid the groundwork for how cybersecurity is handled across the automotive lifecycle – from design and development through post-production and updates. But what’s happening beyond Europe?

Traditional Public Key Infrastructure represents the established approach to certificate management that has evolved over three decades to support enterprise IT environments. Built on hierarchical certificate authorities (CAs) and manual or semi-automated processes, traditional PKI was designed for relatively static environments with manageable numbers of certificates and predictable lifecycle patterns.

Industrial IoT (IIoT) networks are under siege—from ransomware attacks that halt production lines to nation-state actors targeting critical infrastructure. Yet, traditional security measures struggle to keep up with these stealthy and persistent threats. This lack of visibility and proactive detection leaves security teams blind to lateral movement and insider threats lurking within OT environments.

As organizations increasingly rely on connected devices to drive efficiency and innovation, the Extended Internet of Things (XIoT) — covering industrial control systems (ICS), operational technology (OT), Internet of Things (IoT), and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) — has rapidly expanded. This greater connectivity often drives increased vulnerability as critical assets are exposed to sophisticated threats.

In a significant shift for digital identity management, the maximum lifespan of public TLS certificates is set to be reduced to just 47 days, following a new policy from Apple’s Root Program. With Google expected to follow suit, the clock is ticking faster than ever on certificate validity and that has profound implications for businesses relying on manual processes.

The exponential growth of Internet of Things (IoT) deployments across enterprise environments has fundamentally transformed how organizations approach cybersecurity. The rapid increase in IoT connections has significantly expanded the attack surface, making it more challenging to secure networks. Enterprises face unique challenges and require robust IoT security frameworks to manage the scale and complexity of their deployments.

The transformation of urban environments through Internet of Things (IoT) technology has created unprecedented opportunities for improving city services, enhancing quality of life, and optimizing resource utilization. This process of digital transformation modernizes and integrates city infrastructures, improving efficiency but also introducing new cybersecurity challenges.

The traditional network security model of “trust but verify” has become fundamentally inadequate for protecting modern Internet of Things (IoT) environments. With enterprise IoT deployments spanning millions of connected devices across distributed networks, organizations can no longer rely on perimeter-based security that assumes internal network traffic is inherently trustworthy.