Operational Technology, or OT, is no longer just about pumps, pipes, and machinery. It now plays a major role in how modern factories, utilities, and critical services run. That means hackers aren’t just targeting computers anymore. They’re going after the systems that keep the real world moving, and the impact can be serious.

In this episode of Safer Digital Society, Stuart and Scott talk about what happens when OT is attacked, why some incidents pose a risk to life, and how even older, legacy systems are becoming easier for opportunistic hackers to exploit.

They also explore:

• The key differences between IT and OT and why attacks on OT can be harder to deal with
• Direct and indirect OT breaches, from nation-state operations to cyber extortion
• Real cases involving disrupted production lines and manipulated printing systems
• The growing importance of asset management, logging and knowing what is on your network
• How micro segmentation and better visibility can help protect vulnerable equipment

Whether you work with industrial systems or just want a clear explanation of how OT attacks unfold, this episode breaks it down in a way that’s easy to follow and grounded in real experience.