I’m the Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) for a medium-sized water treatment system. Recently, my board and our management team have been breathing down my neck about "cybersecurity." To be completely honest, my job is to oversee our team of operators, monitor treatment operations, keep the water safe in the distribution system, and manage our SCADA system. I'm a water operator, not a computer programmer!
Management keeps throwing around acronyms like "IT" and "OT" and asking if we are prepared for AI threats. What is the actual difference between IT and OT? And honestly, why should I, as a water operator, care about cybersecurity? Is a hacker really going to target a mid-sized municipal water plant in Colorado?
Please help me make sense of this!
Thanks,
Otto Mation, ORC
