Kaspersky Rolls Out OT Cyber Risk Calculator For Middle East Industry

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post)

Kaspersky has introduced a new online tool aimed at helping industrial companies in the Middle East quantify cyber risk in operational technology environments, as manufacturers, energy firms and utilities face mounting pressure to justify cybersecurity spending with clearer financial metrics.

The cybersecurity company said the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator is designed to translate technical exposure in industrial control systems into potential monetary losses, allowing executives to better understand how cyber incidents could affect production continuity, safety and revenue. The launch comes as industrial organisations across the region accelerate digitalisation, expanding connectivity between IT and OT systems and, in the process, broadening their attack surface.

The launch reflects Kaspersky's push to frame OT security decisions in business terms rather than purely technical language, a shift increasingly demanded by boards and regulators. Industrial operators often struggle to assess how vulnerabilities in programmable logic controllers, SCADA systems and other OT assets translate into financial risk, particularly in sectors where downtime can halt operations entirely.

According to Kaspersky, the calculator allows organisations to input parameters such as industry type, scale of operations, average downtime costs and existing security maturity. Based on these inputs, the tool estimates potential losses from cyber incidents, including production stoppages, equipment damage and recovery costs, and compares them with the projected investment required to mitigate such risks through improved cybersecurity controls.

OT environments differ significantly from traditional IT networks, both in architecture and impact. A successful cyberattack on industrial systems can disrupt physical processes, compromise safety and cause cascading failures across supply chains. In the Middle East, this risk is particularly acute given the concentration of energy, petrochemical, water desalination and transport infrastructure that underpins national economies.

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Industry analysts note that while awareness of OT cyber threats has grown, many industrial firms still rely on fragmented risk assessments or qualitative judgments. Financial decision-makers often lack clear models to evaluate whether investments in specialised OT security solutions deliver measurable returns. By presenting cyber risk in terms of potential savings and avoided losses, tools such as Kaspersky's calculator aim to close that gap.

Kaspersky said the calculator draws on anonymised industry data, threat intelligence and economic modelling to generate estimates tailored to different industrial sectors. The company stressed that the output is not intended as a precise forecast but as a decision-support mechanism to guide budgeting and prioritisation discussions.

The Middle East has seen a steady rise in targeted attacks on industrial assets, driven by geopolitical tensions, criminal groups seeking ransom payments and opportunistic exploitation of poorly secured systems. Regional governments have responded with stricter cyber regulations for critical infrastructure operators, increasing the pressure on companies to demonstrate risk management and resilience.

In this context, the calculator also serves as a communication tool between technical teams and senior management. OT security specialists can use the estimates to explain the potential financial impact of vulnerabilities, while executives can compare scenarios and evaluate trade-offs between operational efficiency and security investment.

Kaspersky executives said the tool complements the company's broader OT cybersecurity portfolio, which includes threat monitoring, network segmentation and incident response services tailored for industrial environments. The company has expanded its focus on OT security globally, positioning itself as a provider of end-to-end solutions for critical infrastructure protection.

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Cybersecurity consultants in the region view such tools as part of a wider trend towards quantifying cyber risk in monetary terms, mirroring approaches long used in insurance and enterprise risk management. As cyber insurance markets tighten underwriting requirements, industrial firms are increasingly asked to demonstrate not only technical controls but also a clear understanding of potential loss scenarios.

However, experts caution that calculators and models should be used alongside detailed technical assessments and sector-specific expertise. OT environments are highly heterogeneous, and factors such as legacy equipment, safety requirements and regulatory obligations can significantly influence risk profiles. Overreliance on generic models without on-the-ground validation could lead to misplaced confidence or underestimation of exposure.

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