Updates across the Fortinet OT Security Platform include new ruggedized appliances, advanced secure networking and security operations capabilities, and expanded partnerships with leading OT vendors
Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, has announced updates to its OT security platform, which already stands as the industry’s most comprehensive.
Today’s news provides customers with enhanced secure networking and security operations (SecOps) capabilities and expands Fortinet’s strategic partnerships with leading OT vendors, reflecting Fortinet’s commitment to security for the growing cyber-physical systems (CPS) market and dedication to protecting critical infrastructure in verticals spanning energy, defense, water supply systems, manufacturing, food, transportation, and more.
Fortinet was recently recognized as a Representative Vendor in the 2023 Gartner Market Guide for CPS Protection Platforms.
According to the Fortinet 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report, cyberattacks that compromise OT systems are on the rise, with nearly three-fourths (73%) of organizations experiencing an intrusion that impacted either OT systems only or both IT and OT systems (up from 49% in 2023). As a result, it’s more critical than ever for organizations to deploy cybersecurity solutions specifically engineered for OT environments, including critical infrastructure.
Building upon its legacy of more than two decades as a global cybersecurity leader, Fortinet’s OT security platform was designed to mitigate industrial risk and accelerate and optimize customers’ OT security journeys. The latest updates to the platform include:
New Advanced Capabilities in OT Secure Networking
- Enhanced asset identification and OT network topology in the FortiOS OT View with configurable asset location to improve asset identity, location, and communication pathways.
- Expanded virtual patching capabilities and new capabilities in FortiOS: The introduction of virtual patching signatures in the FortiGuard OT Security Service provides wide-ranging vulnerability protection and unpatched OT asset shielding.
- Two new series of rugged switches: the FortiSwitch Rugged 216F-POE (power over Ethernet) is designed to support bandwidth-intensive industrial environments and redundant architectures, and the FortiSwitch Rugged 424F-POE has features designed to power Industrial-Internet-of-Things (IIoT) devices.
- FortiSRA enables secure remote access to support remote third-party contractors, auditors, and employees, protecting critical OT systems against threats from remote access and untrusted networks.
- FortiExtender Vehicle update enables fleet management in a ruggedized form factor to withstand harsh environmental conditions and offers secure LAN extension from remote FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls to create a truly unified platform for vehicles and first responders.
Expanding AI-Driven OT Security Operations Capabilities to Defend Against Growing OT Threats
- Expanded OT capabilities in FortiSOAR, including the introduction of OT View – an IT/OT overview dashboard with OT asset management – and new compliance playbooks to increase OT network and asset visibility and remediation for OT.
- Increased analytics and reporting capabilities in FortiAnalyzer by creating NERC CIP, IEC 62443-3-3, and IT/OT Risk reports. An upcoming IoT/IIoT/OT dashboard includes analytics support for Internet-of-Medical-Things (IoMT) to further assist with regulatory compliance and security posture evaluations.
- FortiNDR for OT provides network behavior analysis to identify known and unknown threats across the IT/OT infrastructure and detect OT network anomalies.
- FortiDeceptor-as-a-Service offers expanded deception for OT and IoT with additional devices and protocols and simplified deployments to streamline user experiences.
Enhancing Fortinet’s OT Partnerships
Fortinet’s global partner ecosystem brings together organizations with specialized OT expertise to help customers maximize cyber resiliency and improve operational efficiency.
Recent collaborations with Fortinet Alliance partners Armis, Claroty, and OTBase, as part of the Fortinet Open Ecosystem, have produced new and enhanced integrations with FortiManager, FortiSIEM, FortiSOAR, and FortiNAC to maximize actionable OT asset information, simplify OT network operations for customers, and improve customers’ security postures.
Additionally, Fortinet introduced a new Engage Preferred Services Partner (EPSP) OT Practice designation to empower OT channel partners with the tools they need to design and deploy OT network infrastructure.
GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally. All rights reserved.
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Gartner, 2023 Gartner®️ Market Guide for CPS Protection Platforms, By Katell Thielemann, Wam Voster, 29 June 2023
About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere you need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and
