Protecting Critical Infrastructure Without Compromising Progress

Original Broadcast on Innovation in Government on 4/29/25

Presented by  Waterfall Security Solutions & Carahsoft

In an era of rapid digital transformation, securing operational technology (OT) environments remains one of the toughest challenges for defense organizations. Guy Shinnar, Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Waterfall Security Solutions, shared how critical infrastructure teams can strike a balance between modernization and cyber resilience—especially in sectors like maritime and defense where legacy systems are the norm.

Shinnar said that the most pressing question leaders bring to him is: “How can we secure our critical infrastructure while still participating in the digital age?” The answer, he explained, starts with accepting the complexity of the OT landscape. Many of these systems were never designed to be connected to broader networks or updated regularly. They're decades old, built on hardware and firmware that resist modern patching practices.

Despite this, there’s mounting pressure to connect systems, share data, and drive operational efficiency—all while maintaining resilience. Shinnar cautioned that these demands require a thoughtful architectural approach that recognizes evolving threats without demanding immediate overhaul of everything that came before.

One of Waterfall’s signature solutions is the unidirectional gateway, a hardware-based cybersecurity tool that allows data to flow out of a secure system but prevents any inbound communication. This form of enforced segmentation offers a practical way to bridge the gap between data sharing and risk mitigation—ensuring visibility and operational insights without creating new attack vectors.

Shinnar also emphasized that digital speed and innovation vary widely across organizations. While parts of the DoD are racing ahead with AI and cloud adoption, legacy OT environments must “catch up” cautiously. These two tracks—innovation and preservation—must work in concert.

The challenge is not just technical but organizational. Cybersecurity in OT environments involves multiple stakeholders: IT, OT, and architecture teams, each with their own priorities and constraints. Achieving forward motion requires brokering alignment across these diverse interests.

Looking forward, Shinnar advised organizations to design architectures not just for today’s threats but for those on the horizon. The threat landscape is no longer hypothetical. Cyberattacks against physical infrastructure are rising sharply, with increasing success. Defense organizations must stop reacting to the past and instead build environments ready to withstand the threats of the next five years.

Key Takeaways:

1. Legacy OT Systems Need Modern Guardrails: Segmentation strategies like unidirectional gateways allow secure data flow without opening new vulnerabilities.

2. Architectural Planning is Strategic: Success requires designing environments to resist evolving cyber threats—not just today’s.

3. Security and Efficiency Must Coexist: Defense agencies can modernize without compromising resilience by bridging old and new technologies carefully.