Defending IT and OT environments with Digital Twins

The advent of industrial digitalization, or Industry 4.0, has compelled industrial cybersecurity to take a step forward and learn to defend against the many intruders attempting to compromise its systems. This transformation has brought with it the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) referring to internet-connected devices that are part of the industrial ecosystem.

Operational technologies (OT) have their own environment, their own networks and their own processes, which are little or not at all like those of information technologies (IT). For this reason, each technology must be treated differently, and their defense must also be approached in a distinct manner.

Meanwhile, digital twins have been a topic of discussion for some time. So far, the IT environment has been the most developed in this regard, which has solidified the use of digital twins for consistently assessing system and network defenses.

With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and the growing need to safeguard industrial productivity, digital twins are increasingly being implemented in this domain. This proves to be highly beneficial as it enables organizations to identify vulnerabilities and monitor what is happening in real time through IIoT sensors.

An industrial company, by using digital twins can significantly improve the detection of intrusions and anomalies. By comparing real behavior with expected behavior, it becomes possible to identify failures or potential attacks. Additionally, attacks can be simulated and resilience tests can be conducted to evaluate the organization's business continuity plan, considering scenarios such as cyberattacks, blackouts or natural disasters.

Digital Twins in IT vs. OT

For a long time, OT and IT networks coexisted as one, despite involving very different processes. Industries with machinery lacked the capability to fully digitalize their operations and they were operated under a single network. However, more and more companies are now beginning to segment their networks, realizing that these are distinct systems with different attack vectors with different defense strategies.

When cybersecurity is discussed, what often comes to mind first are data breaches, ransomware attacks targeting multinational corporations or the hacking of social media accounts. All these examples belong to the IT environment, a domain where digital twins are widely adopted.

In the other side, attacks on OT systems aim to cause physical damage, production disruptions or even endanger human lives as seen in cases such as Stuxnet or the Colonial Pipeline attacks. In OT environments, digital twins are used to monitor, simulate and control physical and industrial processes in real time. They are typically deployed in factories, industrial plants, critical infrastructures or machinery.

Digital twins in OT are usually more complex to implement, as they require real-time or near-real-time synchronization to accurately replicate industrial processes. In cybersecurity, their use allows for the simulation of physical processes, time analysis, failure detection and impact prediction.

Installing digital twins in OT environments is complex, as it involves integrating machinery, sensors, PLCs and other components of the industrial ecosystem. It is necessary to connect the digital twin to physical IIoT sensors to control systems such as PLCs, SCADA or MES and to use specific industrial protocols.

In addition, other aspects must be configured, such as connectivity, security, visualization and system updates. This is why the use and implementation of digital twins in IT and OT environments differ considerably, although both are highly valuable in their respective contexts.

The use of digital twins is therefore essential in modern cybersecurity especially now that IT and OT networks no longer operate as a single system. It is crucial to understand and protect the processes running within each environment to ensure business continuity and operational security.

 

About Digital Twin project

The Digital Twin on Smart Manufacturing project is a European collaborative initiative that brings together education providers, industry partners, and SMEs from several EU countries. Its goal is to develop innovative training programmes and learning resources that support the adoption of Digital Twin technologies in smart manufacturing, helping bridge the gap between education and industry needs and contributing to the advancement of Industry 4.0 in Europe.

References:

Corsha. (2023). Understanding the Divide: OT vs. IT Infrastructure. Corsha Security Blog.  https://corsha.com/blog/understanding-the-divide-ot-vs.-it-infrastructure?

NetFoundry. (2022). The Role of Digital Twins and Industry 4.0 in OT Security. NetFoundry Resources. https://netfoundry.io/ot/the-role-of-digital-twins-and-industry-4-0-in-ot-security/

Automation.com. (2023). Digital Twins Revolutionize OT Cybersecurity. Automation.com Industry Insights.

https://www.automation.com/en-us/articles/april-2025/digital-twins-revolutionize- 

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