OT/ICS means Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems: the hardware and software that monitor and control physical processes such as manufacturing lines, power equipment, water treatment, and building controls. Unlike typical IT systems, these environments prioritize safety, availability, and deterministic behavior, so small errors can have physical consequences.
In cyber security, OT/ICS matters because attacks can move from data theft to real-world disruption. Adversaries may target engineering workstations, PLCs, HMIs, remote access paths, or vendor software to alter settings, stop processes, or hide alarms. Defenders reduce risk with network segmentation, strict change control, least privilege, allowlisted communication, asset visibility, and careful logging. For AI agents, OT/ICS is especially sensitive: any tool use or automated action touching control systems should be tightly scoped, reviewed, and designed to prevent unsafe commands or unintended process changes.