Introduction
Cybersecurity is changing and its focus is moving from purely defensive controls towards helping enable secure and scalable operations. Across discussions on remote access, AI, data governance and security operations, the conferences we took part in recently made this clear. Highlighted in particular was achieving greater visibility, and automation and control without impacting on business objectives.
These topics are especially relevant as customers continue to demand secure management of geographically distributed energy assets. Key discussions at the events reinforced that secure connectivity, governed data handling, operational visibility and efficient security operations are becoming key customer expectations rather than optional enhancements.
Secure remote access for customers working with energy assets
Remote access was one of the most practical themes as it sits right at the intersection of usability and risk. Operators need support, troubleshooting and commissioning capabilities, but they also need those connections to be controlled, encrypted and auditable. Making this discussion around secure remote access feel especially relevant for customers working with distributed energy assets and operational technology.
The BeyondTrust demo session added to that conversation by showing how privileged access and remote support continue to evolve as well as the requirement of zero-trust, with references to ongoing collaboration testing with DNV. Startup ideas also added fresh perspectives, in particular as secure support and controlled connectivity become more important in customer discussions.
Upcoming startups are rapidly reshaping global industries:
- BifrostConnect: a secure remote-access device concept for plants and critical infrastructure, with monitored sessions and strong encryption.
- Spyrna Edge: an edge hardware component designed for real-time logistics and cargo monitoring.
Overall, secure remote access is no longer just a convenience feature, it is an essential part of the security architecture.
The importance of data classification in data security
where a simple prompt request illustrated how quickly poorly classified or overexposed information can surface in the wrong context. It was an effective reminder that document classification directly affects what AI tools, users and agents can retrieve, infer and share.
Key questions remain practical: where is the data stored, who can access it, how is it retained and what prevents sensitive content from spreading beyond its intended use? That is why classification models that combine sensitivity, regulation and business value feel increasingly important. In an environment driven by GDPR, NIS2 and the expanding role of AI, privacy and governance are central to customer trust.
Agentic AI: promising, useful and still in need of guardrails
AI was a defining topic, but the more interesting discussion was not about hype but the structure. One useful framework presented through the event materials broke Agentic AI into four practical components: agents, tools, resources and context. An agent needs a goal, but it also needs clearly defined actions, controlled access to assets and rules about when and why those actions should happen.
That matters because AI can be treated like a governed participant in the environment rather than a black box. The sessions on agent gateways, model and API security, prompt controls and AI all pointed in the same direction. Key takeaways were,
- Use agentic AI, but within frameworks.
- Monitor what AI has access to in terms of data governance and systems access.
- Align AI with business rules, user permissions and organizational values from the start.
SOAR platforms (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response)
As adversaries continue to evolve, traditional approaches based solely on signatures and known attack patterns are becoming less effective. Modern security operations are increasingly focused on understanding and responding to behaviour rather than simply identifying malicious code.
A recurring theme was the growing emphasis on SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response). Rather than relying on security teams to manually investigate every alert, SOAR platforms help organizations connect security tools, automate repetitive tasks and respond to threats at machine speed.
Key components of SOAR include:
- Threat Intelligence: Ingests and analyzes security data from internal and external sources to identify emerging threats.
- Orchestration: Connects disparate security systems and enables them to work together through coordinated workflows.
- Automation: Reduces manual effort by automatically executing predefined actions and investigation steps.
- Response: Provides a centralized view for managing incidents, tracking actions and coordinating remediation activities.
For OT and critical infrastructure environments, this approach is particularly valuable. Automated workflows can rapidly isolate suspicious devices, enrich alerts with contextual information and initiate containment actions long before a human analyst could respond.
Cybersecurity at GreenPowerMonitor, a DNV company
At GreenPowerMonitor, a DNV company, regulations such as GDPR and NIS2, together with the increasing adoption of AI, are placing greater emphasis on cybersecurity, governance, and data protection. This is directly relevant to GPM’s approach to data handling, access control, and secure system design.
Discussions around model security, APIs, agent gateways, and AI structure reinforced the importance of secure access, permissions, and data exposure controls. For GPM, these topics are particularly relevant as customers increasingly require secure integration between IT and OT environments.
Read our recent article: From compliance to resilience: key IT/OT cybersecurity trends in renewable energy (part 1).
Conclusion
The conferences reinforced that cybersecurity is increasingly becoming a challenge of scale. Whether discussing secure remote access, AI, data governance, or security operations, the common theme was the need for stronger controls combined with greater automation. For GPM, this aligns closely with customer expectations around secure connectivity, governed data usage and the ability to monitor and respond to threats across distributed operational environments. The technologies may differ, but the underlying objective remains the same: enabling innovation while maintaining trust, visibility and control.
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