OT Patching vs IT Patching: What's Commonly Misunderstood

Podcast: Industrial Cybersecurity InsiderEpisode: OT Patching vs IT Patching: What's Commonly MisunderstoodPub date: 2026-04-14Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationMost cybersecurity teams treat patching like a universal fix. In manufacturing, that assumption can take down a production line, trigger a safety event, or void the warranty on a $2 million piece of equipment.In this episode, Dino Busalachi and Craig Duckworth break down why patching in operational technology environments is a fundamentally different problem than patching enterprise IT — and why closing that gap requires more than just pushing an update.The bottom line: A firewall is not a patching strategy. Neither is hoping your systems are isolated. Organizations that get this right use risk-based prioritization, lab testing, virtual patching, and real collaboration between IT and OT teams.If you are responsible for a plant floor — or for the people who are — this conversation is for you.🎙️ Industrial Cybersecurity Insider is where C-suite leaders, plant managers, engineers, and security teams come to close the gap between IT and OT.🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.Chapters:(00:00:00) Why assessing OT cybersecurity posture and asset visibility is hard(00:01:00) IT patches constantly, OT rarely does, and why that gap matters(00:03:00) Downtime costs: a broken patch in OT can stop the entire plant(00:05:00) OEM “don’t touch it” policies and warranty pressure(00:08:00) M&A due diligence: buying plants without knowing the cyber condition(00:09:00) CrowdStrike outage example and why agent-based tools are risky in OT(00:10:00) Virtual patching: protecting PLCs and legacy assets you cannot patch(00:14:00) Vendor guidance, upgrade rewrites, and “acceptable risk” decisions(00:17:00) Hidden exposure: guest Wi‑Fi, tablets, remote access, and “air gaps”(00:20:00) Best practices: inventory, continuous monitoring, vulnerability metrics, and cross-team alignmentLinks And Resources:Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedInCybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedInBW Design Group CybersecurityDino Busalachi on LinkedInCraig Duckworth on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Industrial Cybersecurity Insider, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.