Business & Technology

Most firms use IT tools for OT security, study finds

Published

2 hours ago

May 7, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

e2e-assure has published research showing that nearly one in three organisations rely on IT detection platforms adapted for operational technology. The study surveyed 250 cybersecurity decision-makers across manufacturing, utilities, transport, government and defence.

The findings highlight a gap between the tools many organisations use to monitor industrial environments and the demands of OT and industrial control systems. Some 32 per cent of respondents said they rely on detection platforms built for IT and later adapted for OT, while only 15 per cent have deployed passive visibility tools designed specifically for industrial control systems.

This shortfall comes amid disruption from cyber incidents. Among those surveyed, 63 per cent said incidents in the past year had caused direct operational downtime or affected critical OT or ICS systems.

Coordination gaps

The study also highlights weaknesses in how organisations manage security across converged IT and OT environments. It found that 28 per cent still depend on manual or ad hoc coordination between IT and OT security teams, while 37 per cent use a shared platform across both environments.

These figures suggest many businesses have yet to establish a joined-up approach to incident handling in operational settings, where response times and system visibility can directly affect production and services.

Richard Groome, OT Cybersecurity Specialist at e2e-assure, said: “Most adapted IT platforms struggle in OT because they’re still thinking like IT tools. They can identify anomalies, but they often have no understanding of their business impact. OT downtime isn’t just a network problem; it’s a process problem. If you can’t interpret what an alert means for a running plant or production line, you’re not preventing downtime, you’re just creating noise.”

The research argues that extending established IT security platforms into OT environments can leave teams with large volumes of data but limited understanding of its operational meaning. In practice, that can make it harder to assess whether an alert threatens a live process, production line or critical service.

Connectivity is adding further pressure. The survey found that 70 per cent of organisations have fully or largely integrated cloud-connected environments into their IT and OT security strategies, increasing the complexity of managing exposure across systems designed with different priorities.

Groome said: “The volume of data being ingested is often not understood or actionable, meaning incidents may still be missed. More connected does not automatically mean more secure, particularly where exposure increases faster than coordinated response capability.”

Rising costs

The financial impact of OT disruption also featured in the findings. Previously shared research found that 23 per cent of the most severe OT downtime incidents cost more than £1 million, while 6 per cent exceeded £5 million.

That cost backdrop appears to be influencing spending priorities. The survey found that 63 per cent of leaders are increasing budgets for workforce training and role clarity, making this the most commonly prioritised area for additional investment.

The focus on training suggests some organisations see the problem as extending beyond technology procurement. Where IT and OT teams follow different processes or lack a shared picture of incidents, the issue may lie as much in internal coordination and decision-making as in the monitoring tools themselves.

Supply chain risk is also emerging as a greater concern in OT security programmes following recent breaches, according to the study. That reflects the dependence of many industrial and public sector operators on external vendors, software providers and maintenance partners that connect into operational environments.

The research was conducted by Censuswide among cybersecurity decision-makers at organisations with between 250 and 10,000 employees. Respondents came from sectors including food manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy, utilities, telecoms, retail, pharmaceuticals, central government, local government and life sciences.

Across those sectors, the findings indicate that many organisations are still trying to bridge the divide between conventional IT security practices and the operational realities of industrial systems. With only a minority using OT-specific visibility tools and more than a quarter still relying on manual coordination between teams, the data points to persistent operational blind spots as cyber incidents continue to disrupt critical systems.

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Business & Technology

ICS.AI appoints Andy Logan as Head of Education Sales

Published

54 minutes ago

May 7, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

ICS.AI has appointed Andy Logan as Head of Education Sales, expanding its education team in the UK and overseas.

He joins as the business looks to deepen its work with universities and colleges facing financial and operational strain. Logan will work with Dr Crispin Bloomfield, Education Sector Leader, who joined last year.

The appointment brings in a senior executive with more than 25 years of experience across technology, education and enterprise markets. Logan has worked on projects designed to improve operational resilience and help organisations respond to cyber and technology risks.

ICS.AI has built a presence in further and higher education through work with institutions including King’s College London, Nottingham Trent University and Coleg y Cymoedd. That focus has grown in importance as education providers look for ways to manage costs while maintaining services.

Sector focus

Bloomfield linked the hire to growing pressure on the sector, citing financial forecasts for higher education providers in England.

“Education is under multi-faceted pressure, at all levels of study. For example, 45% of higher education providers in England forecast a deficit in 2025/26 (up 2% on the previous year). Almost universally the pressures are becoming more acute. ICS.AI provides a unique combination of AI strategy, proven AI transformation methodology and leading platform and products. This puts the company in a strong position to support institutions and to enable them to realise the potential of AI to deliver positive outcomes and sustained financial benefits. Andy joining us comes at just the right time to support those institutions looking to realise the potential,” said Dr Crispin Bloomfield, Education Sector Leader at ICS.AI.

ICS.AI pointed to its work at Coleg y Cymoedd as an example of its education business. In that project, it said, the company changed the college’s student recruitment process with an AI-based recruitment assistant.

According to ICS.AI, the collaboration produced record enrolment numbers and a financial impact of £5.9 million. It did not provide further detail on how that figure was calculated.

Leadership hire

Logan said institutions were under growing pressure as they tried to balance budgets, standards and security requirements.

“Education is at a critical inflection point, where institutions are under increasing pressure to do more with less while maintaining quality and security. ICS.AI is uniquely positioned to help organisations navigate these challenges with practical and impactful AI solutions. I’m looking forward to working alongside Crispin and the wider team to deliver meaningful change across the sector,” said Logan.

His remit suggests ICS.AI sees education as a growth area beyond its existing public sector customer base. The company describes itself as a profitable AI business focused on public sector organisations including councils and universities.

Martin Neale, chief executive officer and founder, framed the appointment as part of a broader expansion of the education operation.

“Andy’s depth of experience and understanding of both the education and technology landscapes makes him an exceptional addition to our team. As we continue to scale our education capabilities in the UK and internationally, his expertise will be instrumental in helping institutions unlock the full potential of AI and achieve measurable outcomes,” said Neale.

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Business & Technology

Hammer Distribution signs UK firewall deal with Stormshield

Published

3 hours ago

May 7, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Hammer Distribution has signed a UK distribution partnership with Stormshield, becoming a distributor for the vendor’s next-generation firewall range.

The agreement gives Hammer access to Stormshield’s hardware and virtual firewall products, which are available immediately to its reseller and systems integrator network.

Stormshield is a European cybersecurity supplier whose network security products are aimed at organisations with strict security and data protection requirements. Its firewall range holds European and defence-related certifications including EU Restricted, NATO Restricted and ANSSI.

The deal adds another cybersecurity vendor to Hammer’s portfolio as distributors look to offer partners a broader mix of security products amid continued demand for network protection and data sovereignty. It also gives Stormshield wider access to UK channel partners through a distributor with an established base in storage, servers and security.

Channel focus

The partnership is intended to support resellers and systems integrators seeking an alternative to established US firewall suppliers. Hammer plans to provide technical pre-sales support, proof-of-concept assistance and training around the Stormshield range.

The products are designed for a wide range of environments, from small branch sites to larger operational technology settings. That positions the partnership to target customers across both IT and industrial infrastructure projects, where network segmentation and control remain core buying requirements.

Hammer has operated in the technology distribution market for more than 30 years. The company focuses on storage, server and security products, and works with vendors and channel partners on tailored deployments.

For Stormshield, the tie-up strengthens its route to market in the region through a specialist distributor with technical reach into the reseller channel. The French vendor sells to commercial organisations as well as government and defence customers that need protection for critical infrastructure, sensitive data and operational systems.

Dominic Ryles of Hammer Distribution described the agreement as part of a wider push to expand the company’s security offering for partners facing more complex customer requirements.

“We are incredibly proud to welcome Stormshield to the Hammer family,” said Dominic Ryles at Hammer Distribution. “In an era of evolving digital warfare, our partners need security solutions they can trust implicitly. Stormshield’s pedigree offers a level of assurance and European engineering excellence that is rare in the market. This partnership is not just about expanding our product line; it’s about providing our resellers with a competitive edge in the high-growth cybersecurity sector.”

Regional growth

The agreement is intended to help Stormshield expand through the channel by working with a distributor that can support partner recruitment and technical engagement. The company presented the deal as a route to broader market coverage for its firewall range.

“We are delighted to partner with Hammer Distribution,” said Bertrand Trastour, head of global sales at Stormshield. “Hammer’s reputation for deep technical expertise and their proactive approach to channel development makes them the perfect partner to accelerate Stormshield’s growth in the region. Together, we are committed to empowering the channel to solve the most complex security challenges facing businesses today.”

The announcement reflects a broader trend in the security market as European vendors sharpen their position around regional certification, sovereignty and transparency at a time when buyers are paying closer attention to where security products are developed and governed. For channel partners, that can create a clearer sales proposition in accounts where procurement teams want alternatives aligned with European standards and regulatory expectations.

Stormshield’s technologies are used by companies, government institutions and defence organisations seeking to secure critical infrastructure, sensitive data and operational environments.

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