Partnership in Action: When Legacy Systems Meet Modern Cybersecurity Threats

In this hard-hitting episode of Industrial Cybersecurity Insider, host Dino Busalachi sits down with two battle-tested experts: Debbie Lay from TXOne Networks and Patrick Gillespie from GuidePoint Security.

Together, they pull back the curtain on the messy, complex world of operational technology (OT) cybersecurity, where million-dollar cybersecurity losses happen regularly.

This isn't your typical cybersecurity podcast filled with vendor pitches and theoretical frameworks. Instead, you'll get an unvarnished look at what really happens when industrial organizations try to secure their critical infrastructure.

From the shocking reality of cyber insurance claims being denied over half-implemented multi-factor authentication to the all-too-common sight of HMI passwords scrawled in permanent marker on the plant floor. This conversation exposes the gap between cybersecurity best practices and industrial implementation and protection reality.

What makes this episode essential listening:

• Real financial impact: Learn why industrial breaches cost $5.5-6 million on average, with downtime running $125,000 per hour
• Practical solutions that work: Discover how segmentation, virtual patching, and agentless endpoint tools can protect legacy systems without breaking the bank
• Political warfare decoded: Understand the often-toxic dynamics between IT and OT teams that sabotage security initiatives
• Implementation roadmaps: Get actionable strategies for deploying zero-trust architectures on the plant floor

Whether you're a CISO struggling to justify OT security budgets, an engineer trying to protect decades-old industrial systems, or a consultant navigating the minefield of industrial cybersecurity politics, this episode delivers the kind of street-smart insights you won't find in vendor whitepapers.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Cyber insurance denied over incomplete MFA 
• 00:03:21 - What clients face as they begin the OT security journey
• 00:06:35 - Industrial breach cost stat ($5.5–$6M; ~$125k/hour downtime) 
• 00:07:36 - Too many IT tools forced into OT
• 00:08:47 - Investment hurdles and budgeting misalignment
• 00:11:05 - Collaboration between OT asset owners and the CISO
• 00:13:24 - Hamilton ransomware: 80% hit; cyber insurance denied for incomplete MFA
• 00:14:26 - HMI username/password written in Sharpie; segue to TXOne solutions
• 00:18:22 - Who embraces TXOne first—IT or OT?
• 00:20:58 - CISOs on OT priorities and piloting top sites
• 00:22:25 - The ugly: Lacking OT inventory, unclear playbooks, starting from zero
• 00:23:26 - The good: Safeguarding OT, anomaly alerts, avoiding risky legacy connections
• 00:24:34 - Healthcare imaging case: XP-based systems, high replacement costs
• 00:27:03 - AI useful in SOC/baselining; humans still required on OT side
• 00:29:15 - Combining best-of-breed solutions to avoid costly deployment gaps
• 00:29:47 - Why deployments stall—overwhelm and fatigue after tech selection

Links And Resources:

• Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.
• Debbie Lay, TXOne Networks on LinkedIn
• Patrick Gillespie, GuidePoint Security on LinkedIn
• Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedIn
• Cybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedIn
• BW Design Group Cybersecurity
• Dino Busalachi on LinkedIn
• Craig Duckworth on LinkedIn

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