Million-Dollar Buttons: How Offshore OT Is Embracing Containers and Modern Cybersecurity

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/
The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/
This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep120/
The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/

Offshore oil and gas operations don't have the luxury of simply shutting everything down and starting over.

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Josh Herr and Matt McLendon to explore the real-world challenges of modernizing cybersecurity and technology in offshore operational technology (OT) environments.

From million-dollar equipment and aging control systems to virtualization, containers, and edge computing, this conversation reveals what it actually takes to keep critical industrial operations running when technology fails, hardware is difficult to replace, and downtime can come at an enormous cost.

Aaron, Josh, and Matt share stories from the field, including the creative decisions operators sometimes have to make to keep one rig running when another goes down. They also explore the gradual shift from legacy Windows and Sun workstations toward Linux, containerization, and newer approaches to managing industrial systems.

But this isn't simply a conversation about replacing old technology with new technology. It's about understanding the realities of OT cybersecurity, where reliability, availability, safety, cost, and security all have to work together.

Key Learning: 

• Why offshore OT environments present unique cybersecurity challenges
• How legacy systems continue to influence modern industrial operations
• Why containers and virtualization are gaining ground in OT
• How operators balance cybersecurity with uptime and reliability
• The surprising realities of maintaining aging industrial hardware
• What the shift from Windows to Linux can mean for OT environments
• How creative problem-solving can keep critical operations running
• Where AI, containers, and modern infrastructure could take OT next

Key Moments:
06:16 Frustrations with vendor costs and delays

09:34 Offshore connectivity and autonomy challenges

13:02 Managing power plants across Texas

16:19 Challenges with industrial HMIs and alarms

19:40 Vendor control and security policies

21:16 Component delays and industry characters

24:08 Final integration testing and safety factors

28:20 Vendor management challenges with outdated tech

34:02 Missing sysadmin skills in industry

35:59 Challenges with ARM architecture

41:09 Managing hardware life cycles

44:23 Concerns about AI and open source

45:43 Future of JavaScript and integration

Whether you work in oil and gas, industrial cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, engineering, or OT operations, this episode offers an honest look at the gap between cybersecurity theory and what actually works in the field.

Listen in for the war stories, lessons learned, and "art of the possible" approaches helping bring modern technology into some of the world's most challenging OT environments.

About the guests: 

Matt is a multidisciplinary team leader and technology practitioner with experience spanning electrical systems, controls, automation, data systems, and IS/IT. His background includes offshore oil and gas electronics, systems administration, and computer hardware, with a strong emphasis on troubleshooting and component-level repair. Matt has led diverse technical teams in fast-paced, mission-critical environments, where collaboration, clarity, and effective problem-solving are essential.

Contact Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewamclendon/

Josh is a software engineer and technology architect with more than a decade of experience designing and building systems across desktop applications, cloud infrastructure, and modern cybersecurity environments. His background spans multiple technology verticals and industries, giving him a practical, cross-functional perspective on how organizations secure complex systems at every layer of the technology stack. Josh brings deep expertise in software engineering, cloud architecture, and cybersecurity strategy, with a focus on helping organizations navigate evolving security challenges without sacrificing operational performance. His work combines hands-on technical knowledge with a strong understanding of how security, infrastructure, and business priorities intersect in real-world environments.

Contact Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-herr-ba4bba54/

Learn more about PrOTect IT All:

Work with Aaron: https://protectitallpod.com/work/
The book: https://protectitallpod.com/book/
This episode: https://protectitallpod.com/ep120/
The OT Security Starter Kit: https://protectitallpod.com/starter-kit/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll
Email: [email protected]
X: https://twitter.com/protectitall
Facebook: https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast

To be a guest or suggest a guest or episode, email [email protected].

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