Across the Middle East, digital transformation is changing the way the energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors operate. Industrial systems are becoming more intelligent and interconnected, and along with this, the boundary between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) is rapidly disappearing. While the convergence is absolutely delivering efficiencies, it is also bringing with it a new and significant cyber risk that has to be addressed.
Historically, IT and OT environments have been treated as separate, distinct domains. Enterprise systems tended to fall under the management of IT teams, while OT specialists would be responsible for industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA networks and plant operations. This division is also often mirrored in the technologies used to monitor and secure each environment, which leads to fragmented visibility and siloed cybersecurity and threat detection.
This separation is creating blind spots that adversaries are aware of and are increasingly skilled at exploiting. A breach in either domain has the potential to trigger cascading disruptions across business operations and in the case of OT, even cause physical harm.
According to IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2025, manufacturing remains the most targeted industry globally for the fourth consecutive year. In the Middle East, threat actors, ranging from state-sponsored groups to financially motivated cybercriminals, are deploying ransomware, remote access trojans and supply chain attacks to compromise industrial operations. These tactics are not just designed to steal data; they halt production, damage infrastructure, and undermine national resilience.
To counter this, cybersecurity leaders across the Middle East are rethinking traditional models and making the shift towards IT-OT convergence. Having a unified cybersecurity framework enables real-time visibility across both digital and industrial assets, so that organisations are able to detect anomalies, respond to threats and manage risk more holistically.
Implementing cybersecurity platforms that integrate SIEM and XDR capabilities across both domains provides a centralised view of activity, reduced response times and improved situational awareness.
Governance is also evolving, and regional standards such as the UAE’s Information Assurance Standards (IAS) are placing greater emphasis on risk-based compliance. This is a driver for organisations to quickly align controls across both IT and OT environments. To do it effectively doesn’t just need technical integration; it also needs careful cultural and procedural alignment between teams that had operated in isolation before.
As the GCC’s infrastructure becomes even smarter and more connected, cybersecurity has to evolve with it. The convergence of IT and OT may present a technical challenge, but it is essential. Those organisations that embrace the shift will be in a far better position to safeguard their operations, meet regulatory requirements and build the resilient foundations they need for future industry developments.
Real-time, Risk-aligned Cybersecurity - Obrela
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