Over the past eight years, cybersecurity maturity has increased globally as organizations have integrated operational technology (OT) security under the chief information security officer (CISO) or other information security leadership roles such as the chief information officer (CIO). In 2026, 60% of respondents report that the CISO and CIO currently has ultimate responsibility for OT cybersecurity, down from 69% in 2025.
Signaling an increase in maturity, the C-suite has mitigated OT risk to the point of delegating OT cybersecurity responsibility back down to senior leadership roles. Those respondents who do not have elevated OT risk yet still need specialized knowledge and leadership to address the increasing number of sophisticated threats. For the fifth consecutive year, the number of respondents who intend to move OT cybersecurity under the CISO in the next 12 months increased from 80% in 2025 to 81% in 2026. These changes indicate a solidifying of the importance of OT risk ownership in the C-suite.
Read more in Fortinet's 2026 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report.
