Operational Resilience in the Age of IT/OT Convergence: Why Leadership Must Act Now
Zscaler, Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
The convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) is transforming the industrial landscape. What were once isolated systems controlling physical processes (i.e., power plants, transportation networks, production lines) are now connected to IT networks, cloud services, and third-party ecosystems.
This digital integration brings unprecedented efficiency and visibility, but it also exposes OT environments to cyber threats that were never part of their original design.
For manufacturing, energy, utilities, mining, and transportation sectors, OT security is no longer a 'nice to have'; it has become a strategic imperative. As a veteran OT practitioner who has spent two decades securing critical infrastructure, I've seen firsthand that industrial operations can't afford to wait for tomorrow's 'maybe attack.' The threat is already here, and the consequences reach far beyond data loss.