21St Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Cybersecurity Supply Chain (Solar Winds, Colonial Pipeline, Operational Technology and Internet of Things, Ransomware, Resilience (Zero Trust)
Mr. Mirel Sehic dedicated his expertise to the safeguarding of operational technology (OT) and critical infrastructure. He underscored that while conventional IT systems, such as email and data processing, receive widespread attention, operational systems including those managing refineries, security cameras, and other vital infrastructure remain exceptionally susceptible to threats. Sehic elucidated a risk-based approach, commencing with the identification of potential threats and vulnerabilities. Subsequently, he advocated for the implementation of layered “defense-in-depth” strategies to protect critical assets, drawing an analogy to an onion with the most critical systems situated at its core. He emphasized practical measures, such as meticulous vetting of supply chains, redundancy in critical technologies, and the enforcement of access controls to thwart unauthorized network intrusion. His message emphasized the necessity of prioritizing cybersecurity efforts based on risk, cost-effectiveness, and operational criticality, thereby enabling organizations to attain a heightened level of resilience.