We have launched a dedicated OT cybersecurity offering, and with it, a new home for everything we deliver in this space: cybersecurity.dp-sgroup.co.uk.
This is not a new direction for DPS Group, OT cybersecurity has been part of how we build and deliver automation solutions for years. What has changed is the environment in which industrial operators work and the clarity of what is now required of them.
The regulatory landscape has shifted significantly. NIS2 is in force across the EU. The UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is coming. IEC 62443 has become the standard against which industrial security programmes are measured. For many of the organisations we work with, the question is no longer whether to take OT cybersecurity seriously. It is how to get there, and who to work with.
These are the solutions we have built to answer that question.
Why OT cybersecurity cannot wait
Industrial control systems were designed to run reliably, not to resist sophisticated cyber threats. For decades, the physical separation of operational technology from corporate networks and the internet provided a degree of protection. That separation no longer exists in most facilities.
Digitalisation has connected plant floor systems to enterprise networks, cloud platforms, and remote access tools. The efficiency gains are real, and worth pursuing. But every new connection is also a potential entry point. OT environments that were never designed with cybersecurity in mind are now exposed in ways they were not a few years ago.
The statistics are not abstract. 83% of OT environments experienced a breach in 2024. The average recovery time following a ransomware attack on OT systems is 21 days. Unplanned downtime in manufacturing environments costs an average of £22,000/€25,000 per minute. And under NIS2, fines for essential entities can reach €10 million (£8.7 million) or 2% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher.
The case for action is not built on fear. It is built on the straightforward fact that cybersecure operations are a prerequisite for the kind of connected, digitalised industrial environment that delivers competitive performance.
Without security, digitalisation is not safe. Without security, it is not sustainable.
What our OT cybersecurity industrial solutions deliver
Our OT Cybersecurity Industrial Solutions cover the full lifecycle of OT cybersecurity, from understanding your current exposure through to active, ongoing protection of your systems. The service framework follows four phases:
Assess
Every engagement begins with a thorough assessment of your current OT environment. We identify vulnerabilities, map your network architecture, review existing controls, and measure your compliance position against IEC 62443, NIS2, and the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.
You come away with a clear picture of where you stand and a prioritised roadmap for what needs to change.
Design
Based on the assessment findings, we design a security architecture built around your operational environment, not a generic template. DPS Group brings engineering understanding of how industrial systems actually work, which means the security design does not conflict with the operational requirements of the plant. Our Defence-in-Depth approach applies multiple layers of protection across network segmentation, access control, monitoring, and system integrity, aligned to IEC 62443 zones and conduits methodology.
Implement
Implementation is carried out with minimal disruption to live operations. DPS Group has delivered complex engineering projects in live production environments for over 25 years. That experience matters when you are applying security controls to systems that cannot simply be taken offline. We work around your operations, not against them.
Manage
Cybersecurity is not a project you complete. Threats evolve, systems change, and regulations develop. Our OT Cybersecurity Industrial Solutions include ongoing monitoring, incident response capability, and lifecycle support to keep your systems protected as the environment around them changes. This is the same lifecycle partnership model DPS Group applies across all of its engineering and automation work.
Built in, not bolted on
One of the things that distinguishes DPS Group in this space is that OT cybersecurity is not a separate service sitting alongside our automation work. It is built into how we design and deliver every solution.
As a leading supplier of complete turnkey automation and control solutions, we are engineering systems from instrument to cloud across energy, water, manufacturing, food and beverage, pharma, and distilling.
Security is part of that design process from the start, not an afterthought applied at the end.
That integration matters. A cybersecurity provider without deep OT and automation engineering knowledge can identify a vulnerability but may not understand its implications for a live production system. DPS Group brings both. We understand the control systems, the process requirements, and the operational constraints, as well as the security architecture needed to protect them.
The regulatory landscape: what operators need to know
Three frameworks are shaping the compliance requirements for industrial operators right now.
NIS2 Directive
The expanded EU directive came into effect in October 2024, extending cybersecurity obligations to a wider range of sectors and tightening enforcement. It requires risk management policies, supply chain security, incident reporting within 24 to 72 hours, and accountability at management level. Non-compliance carries significant financial and personal liability.
UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
The UK’s counterpart legislation introduces mandatory incident reporting within 24 hours, enhanced regulatory oversight, and criminal liability for non-compliance for critical national infrastructure operators. Annual security assessments are required. The Bill is progressing and operators should be preparing now rather than waiting for it to be enacted.
IEC 62443
IEC 62443 is the international standard for industrial automation and control system security. It provides the framework DPS Group uses to structure assessments, design security architectures, and measure compliance. It covers security levels, zones and conduits, risk assessment methodology, and lifecycle security requirements. Alignment to IEC 62443 is increasingly a condition of doing business with major industrial customers and operators.
Who our OT cybersecurity industrial solutions are for
Our services are designed for industrial operators who run OT environments and need to understand and improve their security posture. That includes:
- Energy and utilities operators with critical infrastructure obligations
- Water and wastewater treatment facilities
- Food and beverage manufacturers with connected production systems
- Pharmaceutical and life sciences
- Manufacturing businesses integrating IT and OT systems as part of digitalisation programmes
- Distilleries and process industries with ageing control systems now being connected to broader networks
Distilleries and process industries with ageing control systems now being connected to broader networks
Start with a free assessment
The first step in any OT cybersecurity programme is understanding your current position. DPS Group offers a free initial assessment to help you do exactly that, identifying key risk areas, reviewing your compliance exposure, and giving you the information you need to plan what comes next.
If your systems have gaps, you will know what they are. If your compliance position needs attention before the next regulatory deadline, you will have a clear view of the work required.
Arrange your free cybersecurity assessment.