OT Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a security architecture for operational technology environments in which no user, device, or connection is trusted by default, even within the network. Every access request is authenticated and authorized before any network-level connectivity is established. Unlike traditional VPNs that grant broad network access after login, OT ZTNA grants access only to specific authorized assets on a per-session basis, making everything else invisible and unreachable.

Firewalls protect the network perimeter by filtering traffic, but once an attacker bypasses the firewall (through phishing, a compromised vendor VPN, or a supply chain attack), they can move laterally across the flat OT network. BlastShield Gateway takes a fundamentally different approach: it makes OT assets invisible to unauthorized parties (network cloaking) and enforces microsegmentation that prevents lateral movement even after a perimeter breach. The asset itself is the perimeter, not the firewall in front of it.

No. BlastShield deploys as a software overlay on top of your existing network infrastructure, it does not replace your firewall, switches, or routers. You can deploy a BlastShield Gateway as a VM or container on existing infrastructure, or on a certified ruggedized appliance. No network topology changes are required. BlastShield works alongside your existing perimeter security and adds Zero Trust protection on top.

Yes, this is one of BlastShield's primary design goals. No agent installation is required on protected OT assets. The BlastShield Gateway provides network-level Zero Trust protection for any device behind it, including Windows XP HMIs, legacy PLCs, unpatched SCADA servers, and proprietary industrial controllers that cannot run third-party software. The protected assets gain full cloaking and access control without modification.

Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet both offer OT security capabilities built on traditional NGFW architectures, which require proprietary hardware, complex rule sets, and significant network redesign to achieve OT segmentation. BlastShield is hardware-independent, deploys without network changes, and achieves true network cloaking, a capability neither NGFW platform provides. BlastShield also deploys in minutes versus weeks for enterprise NGFW deployments. The trade-off: NGFW platforms offer broader network-layer inspection; BlastShield prioritizes simplicity, OT-native Zero Trust, and the elimination of the reconnaissance attack surface.

Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet both offer OT security capabilities built on traditional NGFW architectures, which require proprietary hardware, complex rule sets, and significant network redesign to achieve OT segmentation. BlastShield is hardware-independent, deploys without network changes, and achieves true network cloaking, a capability neither NGFW platform provides. BlastShield also deploys in minutes versus weeks for enterprise NGFW deployments. The trade-off: NGFW platforms offer broader network-layer inspection; BlastShield prioritizes simplicity, OT-native Zero Trust, and the elimination of the reconnaissance attack surface.

BlastShield Gateway supports compliance with NERC CIP (Electronic Security Perimeters, Remote Access controls), IEC 62443 (Security Zones and Conduits model), NIST CSF (Protect and Detect functions), NIS2 (EU critical infrastructure), and HIPAA (access logging). The built-in session recording and audit logging capabilities fulfill documentation requirements across all these frameworks.