- e2e-assure has rolled out a 24/7 unified IT/OT cyber monitoring service in the United Kingdom.
- The offering comes amid rising threats to industrial networks and regulatory pressure for continuous monitoring.
What happened: A broad cyber monitoring push
UK-based security operations centre provider e2e-assure has launched a new managed detection and monitoring service designed specifically for operational technology (OT) environments. The service delivers continuous, around-the-clock surveillance of both OT and IT networks from e2e-assure’s UK-based SOC, using sensor technology from EmberOT and supported by consulting services from Trinity OT Security.
Operational technology refers to the hardware and software that directly monitors or controls industrial equipment such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and SCADA systems — systems that are increasingly connected to networks and therefore vulnerable to cyber threat actors.
e2e-assure says the launch responds to a sharp increase in attacks on OT infrastructures since 2020, and points to research suggesting that more than half of organisations now consider their OT networks more likely to be targeted than other parts of their digital estate.
Sensor insights, vulnerability prioritisation and contextual risk scoring are among the features of the new service, which can operate locally without external connectivity. Trinity OT Security will contribute risk assessments, improvement planning and compliance advisory in areas such as NIS2 and IEC 62443 frameworks.
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Why it’s important
Operational technology has historically lagged behind traditional IT in security monitoring, partly because industrial systems were designed without cybersecurity in mind. Attacks against OT can have severe real-world consequences — from production downtime to safety risks — which makes visibility across these systems an increasingly urgent need.
However, the introduction of managed OT monitoring also raises several questions. First, the complexity and diversity of OT environments mean that no single service is likely to fit all use cases. Many industrial operators still struggle with legacy systems that are hard to secure or integrate into modern monitoring platforms. Additionally, while regulatory frameworks like NIS2 in Europe and equivalent guidance in the UK and US push for continuous monitoring, implementation costs and skills shortages remain barriers for many organisations.
There is also a broader debate in cybersecurity about whether outsourcing critical monitoring functions might lead to overreliance on external service providers at the expense of building internal expertise. With threat actors — including those leveraging AI — advancing rapidly, defensive strategies will need to evolve beyond basic detection to holistic risk management across IT and OT.
