Critical Infrastructure OT Security Lags Behind Despite Growing Threats

A recent report by Honeywell Technologies found that operational technology (OT) security readiness remains uneven across critical infrastructure sectors. The 2026 OT Cybersecurity Benchmark Report surveyed 603 cybersecurity, risk, compliance, and operations leaders across various industries.

The study revealed that a majority of industrial organizations consider their OT cybersecurity programs mature, but gaps in asset visibility, monitoring, and recovery readiness persist. Only 21% of respondents reported having a complete inventory of OT assets, while 33% have fully integrated OT into a centralized security operations center (SOC).

Cyber incidents are causing significant operational and financial disruption, with respondents reporting an average of 16.2 hours of downtime from their most significant OT cybersecurity incidents. The report also found that asset visibility is linked to recovery outcomes, with organizations having stronger asset visibility experiencing shorter downtime periods.