National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) organized an interactive training session on Operational Technology (OT) Security for participants of its Summer Internship Program 2026 in collaboration with its technology partner, OT Associates. Held in Islamabad, the session was designed to provide interns with practical exposure to industry practices and strengthen their understanding of cybersecurity challenges affecting operational technology environments. The initiative forms part of National CERT’s ongoing efforts to connect emerging cybersecurity professionals with experienced industry practitioners and equip them with knowledge that supports both technical development and practical learning. Through collaboration with industry experts, the internship program continues to provide participants with opportunities to explore real world cybersecurity scenarios and gain insights into protecting critical infrastructure.
The training session was delivered by Muhammad Qasim Cheema, Chief Executive Officer of OT Associates, who introduced participants to the core principles of securing Operational Technology environments. During the session, interns were guided through five key concepts that form the foundation of OT security. These included placing operational safety and system uptime ahead of confidentiality, understanding the complete sense, decide and act cycle used across industrial sectors, maintaining proper separation between Information Technology and Operational Technology networks to reduce cyber risks, strengthening fundamental security measures such as minimizing exposure, addressing weak passwords, improving network segmentation and monitoring, and building long term OT resilience through asset visibility, recovery planning and security practices aligned with ISA IEC 62443 standards. The session highlighted that cybersecurity incidents within Operational Technology environments can extend beyond data exposure and potentially affect physical systems, making effective protection measures essential for organizations managing critical infrastructure.
The engagement also provided interns with an opportunity to interact directly with an experienced cybersecurity professional and discuss practical approaches to addressing challenges within industrial control systems and Operational Technology networks. Throughout the session, participants actively engaged with the trainer, exchanged ideas and explored real world examples that demonstrated how cybersecurity principles are applied in professional environments. The interactive format encouraged discussion on current security practices while helping interns develop a stronger understanding of the operational and technical considerations involved in protecting essential infrastructure. The collaboration between National CERT and OT Associates also reflected the importance of partnerships between government initiatives and industry organizations in supporting cybersecurity education and preparing future professionals for evolving digital security challenges.
National CERT stated that the training session reflects its continued commitment to developing cybersecurity talent through industry engagement, technical learning and capacity building initiatives. By incorporating expert-led sessions into its Summer Internship Program 2026, the organization aims to provide participants with practical experience that complements academic knowledge and strengthens their readiness for professional cybersecurity roles. The OT Security session also reinforced the importance of securing critical infrastructure through established security practices, improved awareness and collaboration between public sector institutions and industry experts, contributing to the broader objective of enhancing cybersecurity capabilities across Pakistan.
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