Fortinet is pleased to announce that we have been recognized as the sole "Leader" in the 2023 IT/OT Network Protection Platforms Navigator? from Westlands Advisory, which highlights the comprehensive network and cybersecurity solutions in the Fortinet OT-Aware Security Fabric.

Westlands Advisory also notes the extensive range of Fortinet OT secure networking and cybersecurity products and services that protect the wide variety of industrial and cyber-physical systems across the entire Purdue Model. The Fortinet OT-Aware Security Fabric continues to grow in coverage of regional and vertical regulations and standards and is outpacing average market share growth.

Fortinet: A Trusted Partner in OT Security

OT networks provide a unique challenge. Many OT networks weren't designed to connect to the Internet and the OT devices rarely included security features. However, today the increase in digital initiatives is accelerating the need for connection to the outside world to achieve productivity, efficiency, responsiveness, and overall profitability gains. Compounding this situation is that OT organizations need more employees to work on managing and protecting both IT and OT networks, but the cybersecurity skills gap means that finding those people can be difficult.

If those challenges aren't enough, OT networks are increasingly exposed to ransomware attacks. Over the last three years, attacks on OT and critical infrastructure targets have grown in magnitude and frequency, including several high-profile attacks that seriously impacted customers and national economies.

Westlands Advisory considered more than 120 technology vendors with an OT security proposition. After careful research, Fortinet emerged as the only company designated as a Leader in the IT/OT Network Protection Platforms. Westland says, "Fortinet has made significant investments in its OT cybersecurity portfolio, transforming the company into an industry leader. The technology roadmap is particularly strong and will provide customers with an OT cybersecurity and networking solution that is interoperable with the IT security systems and processes. Customers looking for a partner that provides protection and threat management solutions spanning IT and OT should consider Fortinet."

OT Security Continues to Be a Fortinet Priority

Fortinet has been protecting OT networks for nearly two decades, developing and delivering products, services, and tools designed to meet the operational and regulatory requirements of OT networks to reduce cyber risk and protect production. These industrial-built solutions are fully integrated parts of the Fortinet OT-Aware Security Fabric platform. The Fortinet Security Fabric is a cybersecurity mesh platform that provides fully integrated network security and cybersecurity with centralized management and a unified context-aware security policy.

The OT-Aware Security Fabric is built around the industrial protocols and applications and addresses the Purdue model and MITRE ICS ATT&CK matrix. Fortinet provides its industrial customers the first steps of asset identification and segmentation along with OT-specific security products and services. With the Fortinet solutions and larger ecosystem of partners and vendors with solutions tailored to OT environments, asset owners can consistently deploy the Fortinet Security Fabric along with the OT-Aware Security Fabric to enable the convergence of IT and OT networks. This unique approach gives organizations complete visibility and granular control over their entire network.

Westlands Advisory also singled out the breadth of Fortinet products saying, "Fortinet's commitment to OT cybersecurity is evident in its continued product investments. The portfolio has grown significantly over the last 3 years and recent additions include new use-cases such as Secure Remote Access Management (FortiPAM) and asset and network visibility in the FortiOS OT View. Developments also include improved visualization and reporting and there have also been significant releases related to MITRE ATT&CK for ICS. Future developments are likely to include FortiNDR's addition to the OT-Aware Security Fabric, improvements to compliance management, and the inclusion of new capabilities from recent acquisitions (FortiPolicy and FortiRecon). Beyond products and solutions, Fortinet's focus on being number 1 in OT Security has been accompanied by an expanded team of experts, experience centers, and training and awareness courses to improve customer value and experience."

Because of the unique challenges of OT systems and devices, many organizations seek solutions that are designed to span their IT and OT networks and that can meet the operational needs of both sides of the organization. As Westland Advisory points out, "Fortinet's strength is its ability to provide security solutions across the entire Purdue Model from sensor to cloud. Industry partners and customers often cite Fortinet's solutions as easy to deploy, use and scale."

Download theIT/OT Network Protection Platforms Navigator? to learn more and to see why Fortinet has been named the only Leader.

Learn how Fortinetsecures the convergence of OT and ITusing the OT-Aware Security Fabric, which helps organizations ensure that their OT environment is protected and compliant.