Digitalization projects in industrial environments must inevitably consider cybersecurity

Industry digitalization is a priority for all of society, a strategy to strengthen the current industrial fabric, and an important contribution to the sustainability of the production we need for the future.

To discuss this topic, ESADE Alumni’s Operations Club and Business Innovation & Technologies Club organized a session to explain what technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, edge computing, and predictive algorithms are, how they are applied, and, above all, what benefits they bring to companies. Miguel Hormigo, GMV’s Industry Sector Manager, was on hand to explain the importance of cybersecurity in industrial environments. Also taking part in the discussion were Óscar García, Head of Oil & Gas at T-Systems Iberia, to talk about IoT, and Juan Manuel Tome, Head of Emerging Technologies in CEPSA’s Operational Technologies unit, to present a real case of key systems digitalization and monitoring in an industrial company such as CEPSA.

One of the conclusions drawn from this discussion is that any digitalization initiative in industrial environments must inevitably consider cybersecurity as a central pillar. Miguel Hormigo offered up three key messages in this regard: security is security regardless of the field, no matter if it is IT or plants; cybersecurity is not a technological problem but a problem involving people, processes, and knowledge; and finally, we must design our approach to cybersecurity under the premise that sooner or later we will suffer an intrusion.