Cyber Resilient Infrastructure Starts with Early and Strategy-Oriented Design

[Erkan Teskancan]

According to a new report, OT cybersecurity in industrial capital projects is often implemented too late or not at all, which increases risks and costs in the long run.

### Cybersecurity Design Must Start Early

In their Global Cybersecurity Report, prepared jointly by Black & Veatch and Takepoint Research, it is revealed that cybersecurity implementations in new critical infrastructure construction are introduced too late in projects or are not included at all. 72% of survey participants report that cybersecurity is either implemented late or not included at all.

"Cybersecurity should not be an afterthought; it must be integrated early into capital requirements and procurement decisions," says Charlie Sanchez, President of Black & Veatch Infrastructure Consulting. This approach is vital for public safety, economic stability, and national resilience.

### Importance of the "Secure by Design" Approach

The most critical cybersecurity decisions are made at the beginning of a project during the identification phase of OT systems, industrial control architecture, and network connections. As detailed design and construction progress, the scope for security improvements diminishes, leading to costly and complex post-commissioning remediation.

Ian Bramson, Vice President of Global Industrial Cybersecurity, states, "Security must be verified at every stage, from early OT system design to acceptance testing. Regulatory compliance is no longer sufficient; leaders must design resilient and long-term solutions."

### Key Findings of the Report

• 78% of participants state that early cybersecurity implementation reduces outages and operational disruptions in OT systems and networks.
• 43% see a lack of expertise as an obstacle, while 77% believe that obtaining external support throughout the process would help with early initiation.
• Only 24% indicate that cybersecurity is frequently or always included in projects during early stages.
• 75% say that a strong business case is the most important incentive for adoption.

The "secure by design" guide and all report details can be accessed via bv.com.

### About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is a 100% employee-owned company that has been providing global engineering, procurement, and construction services for critical infrastructure and energy projects that improve human lives for over 100 years.