As the Middle East rapidly accelerates its digital transformation across sectors like energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing, the traditional gap between IT and OT cyber security is closing. Industrial operators now rely on interconnected systems to maximize efficiency, but this increasing convergence introduces new vulnerabilities that cannot be addressed in isolation.
Despite increasing integration and interconnectivity between IT and OT domains, many organizations in the region still approach these as two separate and independent pieces of infrastructure. IT teams handle enterprise systems, while OT teams focus on industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA and plant operations. This separation extends beyond the teams that manage these environment with separate toolsets often used for management and monitoring of each environment. In turn, this creates blind spots which attackers can exploit. A single breach in either domain can cascade into business-wide disruption, and regulatory fallout. A breach which affects the OT domain or spans both domains can also result in physical damage and, in extreme cases, loss of life.
Obrela understands that securing critical infrastructure requires an integrated cybersecurity model. As outlined in our analysis here, converging IT and OT security offers a more resilient approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating threats. Rather than treating IT and OT as separate risk environments, our strategy builds a single view of operational risk.
The importance of this shift is clear. According to IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2025, manufacturing was the most targeted industry globally for the fourth consecutive year. In the Middle East, state-backed actors and financially motivated threat groups are increasingly leveraging ransomware, remote access trojans and supply chain attacks to disrupt industrial operations.
Real time Visibility
Unified monitoring is one of the core components of a converged cybersecurity framework. By integrating Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platforms across both IT and OT networks, organizations can achieve real-time visibility into system anomalies, unauthorized access, and potential intrusions. This ‘single pane of glass’ centralised view reduces detection times and supports faster incident response.
Obrela’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Managed Risk and Controls (MRC) services are designed to support this model. We apply deep expertise in threat analytics, asset discovery, and vulnerability management to both IT and OT assets, supported by our proprietary SWORDFISH® platform. This gives security teams access to an arsenal of cutting-edge tools to identify lateral movement across networks and uncover previously unknown attack vectors.
Governance also plays a key role. With regional frameworks like the UAE’s Information Assurance Standards (IAS) placing greater emphasize on risk-based compliance, a converged approach allows security leaders to align controls with evolving regulatory requirements. By integrating Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) capabilities across the digital and industrial domains, Obrela helps organizations in the Middle East demonstrate due diligence and cyber maturity.
As the GCC region’s infrastructure grows ever smarter, the convergence of IT and OT cybersecurity is no longer optional. It is essential for resilience, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity. By bridging this gap, Obrela is not only protecting today’s infrastructure but also enabling the secure evolution of tomorrow’s smart industries.
To learn more about how we help Middle East operators manage cyber risk across IT and OT environments, visit
Real-time, Risk-aligned Cybersecurity – Obrela
