There’s Never Been a More Critical Moment for OT Security
Informed by ten years of global breach and claims data and independent insurance industry analysis, the 2025 Dragos OT Security Financial Risk Report offers one of the most comprehensive looks to date at the scale, cost, and controls shaping the future of OT security. The financial and operational risks from OT cyber incidents are no longer hypothetical. With manufacturing, utilities, and critical infrastructure regularly targeted, OT cybersecurity has become a boardroom concern and a strategic priority for organizations everywhere.
Annual Global OT Cyber Risk
- Organizations face up to $31.1B in average global OT-related cyber losses each year—but in a severe, once-in-250-years event, losses could surge to $329.5B in a single year if widespread business interruption occurs
Indirect Costs Dominate:
- Nearly 70% of costly OT incidents are due to indirect consequences—like supply chain disruption and prolonged shutdowns—which typically outpace the direct damages to systems themselves*.
OT Visibility Gap:
- Alarmingly, 45% of organizations surveyed in the past year still lack full network visibility and monitoring in their OT environments, leaving them vulnerable to undetected threats and delayed response*
Yet the report also offers hope: measured, practical security investments—incident response, visibility, and defensible architecture—make a real, quantifiable difference.
The Dragos Takeaway: Security is a Journey, Not a Checkbox
What stands out in this year’s Dragos report isn’t just the billion-dollar numbers, but how actionable security basics deliver outsized returns:
- Incident response planning—a discipline honed for decades in critical mission contexts—offers more risk reduction than any other control (up to 19% lower risk in manufacturing).
- OT network visibility and defensible architectures aren’t “nice-to-haves”; they’re the building blocks of real resilience and long term value.
- The organizations that fare best in crisis aren’t those who simply buy technology, but those who regularly practice, test, and adapt—learning what works before an incident, not during one.
Applying Defense-Grade Insights to Everyday OT Security
At Owl Cyber Defense, our journey has always centered on the most demanding environments—often behind the scenes, supporting defense and national security systems where failure is not an option. Our experience partnering with the U.S. Department of Defense and other mission-driven organizations hasn’t just refined our technology. It’s shaped like the way we approach every challenge:
- Listen first, act carefully: Every OT environment is different. Decades supporting critical defense missions taught us to never assume—understand first, then advise.
- Engineer for the real world: The best solutions don’t add complexity for the sake of “best practices.” They fit the field—respecting continuity, safety, and day-to-day operations.
- Responsibility over bravado: Our “win” isn’t a contract or a device. It’s when your team is better prepared and your operations are more resilient—whether or not anyone knows our name.
Expertise without Arrogance: Our Approach
Owl’s team includes engineers, analysts, and compliance pros who cut their teeth in the world’s most scrutinized environments. Many of us have backgrounds in military, intelligence, or critical infrastructure roles. What unites us isn’t just what we know, it’s how we work:
- Practical perspective: We don’t claim to have all the answers. But we’re relentless about asking the right questions and finding the best fit for your needs.
- Empowering, not overshadowing: Our tools and guidance are designed to amplify your team’s skills and confidence, not replace their hard-earned expertise.
- Respect for your mission: Whether you’re a defense contractor, a utility, or a food manufacturer, your mission is yours. We’re here to help you advance it more securely.
Let’s Secure What’s Next—Together
The Dragos report confirms what OT professionals have experienced for years: real risk reduction comes from practical readiness, operational visibility, and well-chosen controls. Owl’s expertise is rooted in years of supporting national defense and critical infrastructure—where every security decision has real consequences. We believe OT security should be proactive and collaborative, grounded in the realities of your operations. For teams looking to move from theory to action, we invite you to explore our resource hub—full of use case guides, implementation insights, and practitioner stories designed to help you strengthen security where it matters most. Read more here
Explore what’s next together. Contact Us
**This post is inspired by insights data from the Dragos 2025 OT Security Financial Risk Report and Owl’s real-world work securing the most critical missions.
