HU

Process Safety & Security

Chemical

Tailored asset hardening and continuous monitoring for critical chemical reactions, reactors and process lines.

Discover Our Approach

Chemical

“The Chemicals industry is striving ahead, incorporating at speed digitalisation as part of the Industry 4.0 revolution, driving OT, IT and IoT convergence.”

Chemical Industry Cyber Security Challenges

The Chemicals industry is undergoing rapid digital transformation, converging IT, IoT and OT environments. Plants are connecting physical infrastructure to the digital world, exposing new vulnerabilities and attack vectors. Traditional security methods are no longer enough; dedicated OT security barriers are required.

Situational Awareness

Perception (What’s happening?)

  • Complex, high-impact cyber attacks targeting chemical operations are on the rise—from malware hitting control and safety systems to ransomware shutting down core IT and halting processes.
  • System obsolescence, increased enterprise connectivity and a general lack of OT cyber awareness among staff compound the risk.
  • The pace of technological change, plus connectivity across supply chains and third-party vendors, presents major challenges as smart sensors and interconnected systems proliferate.
  • Global regulatory compliance is tightening (e.g. UK OG-86, EU NIS2, IT-Sicherheitsgesetz, BSI Gesetz).
  • Cyber security is recognized by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK-HSE) as a critical process safety issue, referenced in its OG86 guidance for IACS audits.

Comprehension (Why does it matter?)

  • Threat actors can exploit a widening attack surface to access IT and OT, tamper with production systems and data, causing downtime and integrity failures that disrupt operations.
  • Rising cyber risk management and audit requirements force organizations to prove effective strategies; non-conformance can mean fines or loss of operating licenses.

Chemical Risk Management

For organizations with little or no OT cyber risk management, we recommend a holistic two-phase program:

Phase 1 – Risk Identification & Prioritization
Identify the most critical OT functions (e.g. reactors, process lines, storage units) and assess potential cyber impacts. Leverage system custodians and engineers to map realistic attack paths—covering architecture, user access, third-party scope, supply chain and physical security.

Phase 2 – OT Cybersecurity Framework (OT-CSF)
Establish a formal OT-CSF with policies, procedures and playbooks aligned to:

  • ISA/IEC 62443
  • NIST CSF
  • NERC-CIP
  • ISO/IEC 27001/27002/27019

Keep it realistic—overly complex controls get ignored. At a minimum, include:

  • Formal governance model (RACI roles)
  • End-to-end operating model
  • Regulatory compliance mapping
  • Asset inventory
  • Network architecture documentation
  • Incident response plan
  • Workforce training & awareness
  • Supporting procedural controls (access management, change control, backups)
  • Basic performance monitoring & reporting

As OT cyber maturity grows, supplement with:

  • Internal assurance & self-assessments
  • External audits
  • Third-party/supplier cyber clauses
  • Network & threat monitoring solutions
  • Asset monitoring & vulnerability detection
  • Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Finally, ensure adequate budgets, in-house skills, supplier support and governance to sustain the program. This focus reduces vulnerabilities and builds resilience against threats and human error.