Episode 197: AI-ready OT Data Begins with Understanding
In episode 197 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson sits down with Ben Wilcox, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at ProArch; and Ed Skoudis, President of SANS Technology Institute. Together, they discuss artificial intelligence (AI), operational technology (OT) data, and how understanding creates the foundation for AI-ready OT data.
Here are some highlights from our episode:
- 00:54. Introductions to Ben and Ed
- 02:16. How we understand and integrate AI into OT environments
- 04:30. How OT diverges from information technology (IT) in data responsibilities
- 05:23. Opportunities for AI to assist OT
- 06:33. The importance of meeting OT systems where they are
- 08:10. A passive and incremental approach that respects the operations machines are doing
- 12:29. Efficiency gains, public safety improvements, and other benefits of AI-ready OT data
- 17:47. What lifecycle management, asset hierarchies, and governance look like for OT data
- 22:14. The promise of AI to help to make OT environments understandable
- 23:19. A team sport: How IT and OT can work together to understand assets and data
- 28:38. The need for translation in IT-OT communication
- 29:01. Recommendations for how to make OT data AI ready
Resources
- CIS Critical Security Controls®
- CIS Controls version 8.1 ICS Workbook
- Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models Companion Guide
- CIS Controls v8.1 Enterprise Asset Management Policy Template
- CIS Controls v8.1 Software Asset Management Policy Template
- CIS Controls v8.1 Data Management Policy Template
- CIS Controls v8.1 Account & Credential Management Policy Template
- Establishing Essential Cyber Hygiene
- ProArch
- Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure
- Episode 77: Data's Value to Decision-Making in Cybersecurity
- Episode 183: The Role of CISO in Supporting Risk Translation
If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [email protected].
As of June 23, 2025, the MS-ISAC has introduced a fee-based membership. Any potential reference to no-cost MS-ISAC services no longer applies.