Industry experts discuss why IT and OT teams remain divided and what organizations can do to reduce risk

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Critical infrastructure operators face a growing challenge: information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems are converging, but the teams responsible for protecting them often remain divided. To examine the risks created by this disconnect and how organizations can close the gap, CompTIA brings together leading experts for a webinar, “Investigating the IT/OT Disconnect: A Deep Dive,” on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. CDT.

“Technology convergence has outpaced organizational convergence,” said Dr. James Stanger, chief technology evangelist at CompTIA. “IT and OT teams are increasingly responsible for the same systems, yet they often approach risk, incident response and operational priorities from fundamentally different perspectives. Organizations that fail to bridge this gap and change their mindset could find themselves less prepared to defend critical infrastructure against modern threats.”

Joining Dr. Stanger in the webinar conversation are Syed Shahabuddin, who specializes in securing critical infrastructure environments as regional OT solutions architect for EMEA and APAC at Darktrace, and Blake E. Gilson, IT planning and strategy manager at ExxonMobil, and a recognized leader in OT cybersecurity and workforce development. Both bring extensive experience helping organizations secure critical infrastructure and operational technology environments.

As IT and OT capabilities become increasingly integrated into the same devices and systems, many organizations continue to operate with different risk priorities, workflows and incident response models. A 2025 CompTIA report found that 94% of companies placed a high or moderate focus on operational technology security.¹ Companies had equal concerns about cross-training OT staff with IT knowledge and cross-training IT staff with OT knowledge.

“It’s time to create conditions for IT and OT workers to develop a shared risk vocabulary and playbook,” said Stanger.

Webinar discussion topics include:

• Why IT and OT professionals often view risk differently
• The most common misconceptions each group has about the other
• How organizations can create a shared risk vocabulary
• Ways to improve communication, accountability and incident response
• Practical strategies for educating and aligning teams

Register now to learn how cybersecurity leaders are aligning IT and OT teams to strengthen resilience, improve incident response and reduce risk across critical infrastructure environments.

About CompTIA 
CompTIA, Inc. is the leading global provider of vendor-neutral training and certification products in the information technology (IT) space. Over four million CompTIA certifications have been awarded to current and aspiring technology workers, business professionals, government and military personnel, career changers, students and others. Working in partnership with thousands of academic institutions, governments, training providers and workforce development organizations, CompTIA uses best-in-class learning solutions, industry-recognized certifications and career resources to help job seekers reach their full potential and employers develop skilled technical talent. Learn more at https://www.comptia.org/.

Contact
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
sostrowski@comptia.org

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¹ “State of Cybersecurity 2025,” CompTIA, October 2025.

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SOURCE CompTIA