Fortinet reinforces OT network security protection

“It’s becoming more important to understand what each OT devices is, what it does, how it’s connected, and what it can talk to. [The new features] allow a more efficient NAC and microsegmentation strategy to be applied,” Maddison stated. “It also allows virtual patching to be deployed to protect against urgent vulnerabilities.”

Fortinet also boosted visibility into OT assets from its FortiSOAR security orchestration, automation, and response platform to help customers more efficiently manage OT resources. Improved analytics, and network behavior analysis are also part of the platform enhancements.

Lastly, a new FortiDeceptor-as-a-Service option expands deception capabilities for OT and IoT with more devices and protocols, simplifying deployments for users, Maddison said. FortiDeceptor DaaS creates and deploys decoy systems that mimic real assets within a network. By creating decoyed resources that attract attackers, customers can identify and analyze their behavior without compromising real systems. The platform provides detailed insights into attacker activities, helping businesses design countermeasures.

New switches and an acquisition

On the hardware front, the company added two new switches, the 24-port FortiSwitch Rugged 216F-POE (power over ethernet), which is aimed at supporting high-bandwidth industrial network connections, and the FortiSwitch Rugged 424F-POE, which is aimed at improving connectivity for industrial IoT devices.

In related Fortinet news, the vendor said it has acquired enterprise data loss prevention (DLP) player Next DLP and is bringing that technology to its SASE/SSE package as well as integrating additional insider risk and data protection capabilities across the Fortinet Security Fabric. Next DLP technology specializes in determining insider threat risks and tracking potential stolen internal data.