OT Cybersecurity Insights Report 2026

A 49-page report analyzing key trends in OT cybersecurity-based on observations and interviews at IT-SA 2025, Europe's largest cybersecurity conference and exhibition.

The OT Cybersecurity Insights Report 2026, which is part of IoT Analytics' ongoing coverage of smart manufacturing and related topics. The information presented in this report is based on onsite observations at IT-SA Expo & Congress 2025 in Nurnberg, interviews with vendors and experts, and secondary research on regulations, architectures, and vendor offerings in OT security.

The main purpose of this document is to help our readers understand how OT cybersecurity is evolving by analyzing key regulations, architectural shifts, vendor strategies, and AI adoption across OT environments.

Questions answered:

• What is OT cybersecurity, and how does it differ from IT security?
• Which vendors participate in the OT cybersecurity landscape (OT specialists, IT/OT convergence vendors, and broader security platforms), and how do they position their offerings?
• How do cybersecurity regulations like NIS2 and CRA influence OT cybersecurity strategies and compliance requirements?
• Which key trends are shaping OT cybersecurity, including regulation-driven changes, OT architecture evolution, IT/OT convergence, and AI-enabled security?
• What technologies and approaches are vendors using to secure OT environments, from sub-IP monitoring and microsegmentation to hybrid central-decentral security architectures and firewalls at the IT/OT DMZ?
• How are AI and automation being applied in OT security for detection, response, and protection of AI workloads themselves?

Companies mentioned:

A selection of companies mentioned in the report.

• Cancom
• Check Point
• Cisco
• CrowdStrike
• Cynalytica
• Fortinet
• Huawei
• Kaspersky
• MHP (A Porsche Company)
• Microsoft
• Palo Alto Networks
• Red Hat
• Reply
• Sanctuary Insights
• SentinelOne
• Siemens
• Telekom Security
• Telent
• txOne Networks
• Waterschap Limburg