An ICS often has a decentralised infrastructure with numerous remote OT access points from different vendors. Both the complex wide-area distribution of access and the diverse range of proprietary remote maintenance solutions make it difficult for an operator to adequately secure all points of OT remote maintenance access in a centralised way.

If OT remote maintenance access points are located in openly accessible areas, attackers can easily penetrate OT networks via these access points and carry out manipulations.

If OT remote maintenance access points are only protected by security components provided by the manufacturer and these do not meet an organisation's security requirements, attackers can also easily penetrate OT networks via these access points and carry out manipulations.