"Cyberattacks are affecting CI (critical infrastructure) operators at increasing rates and the threats come from a myriad of sources. This is a highly complex issue made even more challenging by the fact that traditional IT security methods and approaches simply don't work for OT (operational technology) in a CI environment," said Fortinet Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands regional director Jon McGettigan.
"Fortinet has created the role of head of operational technology and critical infrastructure in response to the changing legislative environment and threat landscape coupled with significant and rapid growth in this area at Fortinet. The aim is to help CI operators create genuine and lasting cyber resilience in the face of escalating cyberattacks.
"Fortinet is thrilled to have Michael Murphy in this role. He brings a wealth of experience in responding to cyber incidents in critical OT environments and understands clearly how to help CI operators drive their security agenda forward, which will complement Fortinet's position as a leader in securing OT environments."
Murphy joins Fortinet from Trellix, where he worked as a solutions architect.
He was previously a senior sales engineer at McAfee Enterprise (one of Trellix's antecedents), practice manager at NTT, senior incident response and digital forensics consultant at HPE, and national customer success manager at Loop Secure.
Murphy holds a bachelor's degree in business and information systems from Victoria University, plus a range of industry certifications.
"The Critical Infrastructure Act has changed the landscape for many organisations so it's important to help those organisations understand what's required and how to address the requirements effectively. It's essential to proactively identify and address the friction points between corporate IT objectives and OT objectives, then map out an approach to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes in the cybersecurity landscape," said Murphy.
"Fortinet brings a unique perspective to this challenge, which is what excited me about taking on this new role. I look forward to offering my strong outcome-based approach complemented by real-world, technical-backed experience and exposure to its customers in Australia. This combination is ideal for OT and CI organisations facing a sophisticated new world of threats with diverse motivations. I'm thrilled to be part of the Fortinet team and look forward to helping to drive real progress in cyber resilience."
