OT and IT convergence is the merging of operational technology, such as industrial controllers, sensors, and plant systems, with information technology like cloud services, business applications, and enterprise networks. In modern factories, this creates connected workflows where production data, identities, and control systems can move across environments that were once isolated.
This convergence matters because it expands the attack surface. A weakness in IT, such as stolen credentials, exposed cloud storage, or mismanaged secrets, can become a path toward OT systems that affect availability, safety, or output. Defenders use segmentation, strong identity controls, asset visibility, and carefully managed remote access to limit that risk. In practice, security teams must treat the factory floor and the corporate network as one linked environment, because attackers increasingly do the same.