This white paper explains why legacy systems, transient assets, and converged IT/OT networks make oil and gas operations prime cyber targets. It reviews major attacks (Colonial Pipeline, Shamoon), common vulnerabilities (LEO terminals, OPC UA, SOHO devices), and attacker techniques including ransomware, supply-chain infiltration, USB threats, and ICS exploits. The paper provides a detailed, NIST- and ISA/IEC 62443-aligned defense roadmap, with layered mitigation strategies across phishing, remote access, legacy OT, removable media, ICS, programmable assets, and third-party access.

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