#Denmark #Copenhagen #Remote Access #Secomea #Industrial Security

Industrial Organizations Face Overconfidence in Remote Access Security

As industries gear up for 2026, a new report reveals a paradox concerning remote access security. The document, titled The State of Industrial Remote Access 2026, has found that industrial organizations are entering the new year with a heightened sense of confidence in their remote access security policies. Yet, this confidence may not align with operational realities. Conducted by Secomea, the report collected data from 400 senior leaders across various sectors, including manufacturing and critical infrastructure.

Key Findings of the Report

The findings paint a concerning picture: while organizations believe their session visibility and regulatory preparedness are satisfactory, a closer look reveals troubling gaps affecting vendor oversight, credential hygiene, and overall auditability. Some of the key points discussed in the report include:

1. Vendor Access as a Major Risk Amplifier
The report emphasizes that the increasing number of external vendors — particularly those managing between 21 to 100 external relations — significantly heightens the risk of security breaches. It's not merely the external vendors' behavior but the governance structures around vendor access that are primarily to blame for rising incident rates.

2. Widespread Lack of Vendor Session Visibility
Alarmingly, only around 43% of organizations maintain comprehensive audit trails for vendor sessions. This lack of visibility can lead to compliance and forensic blind spots that threaten the integrity of operational security.

3. Zero Trust Strategies Deliver Results
The report illustrates a clear advantage for organizations that adopt Zero Trust principles. Firms implementing these strategies exhibited better session visibility, improved vendor audit trails, faster enablement, and reduced volatility in incident frequency.

Tool Complexity Affects Control

The report also highlights that organizations often rely on a fragmented suite of remote access tools — such as VPNs, OEM utilities, and PAM solutions — which results in reduced visibility and increased operational friction. The complexity of managing multiple tools correlates with diminished oversight and increased security risks. In contrast, organizations that favor a consolidated approach to remote access, utilizing unified OT platforms, report improved visibility and lower incidents of exposure.

The Shift Toward Unified Control Models

With growing regulatory pressures and expanding vendor ecosystems, the industry is trending towards federated vendor control and shared IT/OT governance. This transition represents a shift from disparate, reactive measures to standardized, policy-driven remote operations. The findings prompt a critical reevaluation of how these organizations approach remote access - moving from mere compliance to a more strategic, security-first mindset.

Conclusion

In summary, while there is an emerging confidence among industrial organizations regarding their remote access security measures, the data indicates a significant disparity between confidence levels and actual risk management. Organizations are encouraged to reassess their vendor oversight practices and invest in governance structures that prioritize both security and operational efficiency. The full report serves as a wake-up call for executives to prioritize strategic changes that can ultimately safeguard their operations in the ever-evolving landscape of industrial cybersecurity.

About Secomea

Secomea specializes in Secure Remote Access solutions designed for industrial networks and OT systems. With over 8,000 customers globally, Secomea's solutions bridge IT and OT needs to ensure compliance, control, and enhanced cybersecurity.

For more detailed insights on this subject, refer to the full report available on Secomea's official website.