Editor’s note: Kaspersky has introduced a new online tool aimed at helping industrial organizations in the Middle East put a financial lens on operational technology cybersecurity risk. The OT Calculator is designed to translate technical exposure into estimated costs and savings, giving executives clearer inputs for budget and investment decisions. As industrial systems across energy, utilities, transport, and manufacturing become more connected, cyber incidents increasingly carry measurable business impact. This launch sits at the intersection of cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and regional industrial growth, where quantifying risk is becoming as important as mitigating it.
Key points
- Kaspersky launches an OT-focused calculator to estimate the financial impact of inadequate industrial cybersecurity.
- The tool targets senior management by framing cyber risk in monetary terms rather than technical metrics.
- Users input sector, region, company size, breach history, and controls to receive tailored estimates.
- Results are benchmarked against industry peers using VDC Research and Kaspersky data.
Why this matters
Industrial activity is a core pillar of economic diversification across the GCC, making operational resilience a strategic concern. Cyber incidents in OT environments can disrupt production, logistics, and critical services, with costs that extend beyond IT teams. Tools that connect cybersecurity posture to financial outcomes can help align security leaders and executives, support more informed investment decisions, and reduce underfunding of protection measures as industrial digitalization accelerates in the region.
What to watch next
- Adoption of the OT Calculator by industrial firms across GCC markets.
- How organizations use the results to adjust cybersecurity budgets and priorities.
- Potential integration of calculator insights into broader risk and resilience planning.
Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company/PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.
Kaspersky launches OT Calculator to help Middle East industrial companies better quantify cyber risk
Dubai, January 29, 2026
Kaspersky has launched an OT Calculator specially designed for industrial companies to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security. By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.
Industrial organizations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability. According to a VDC Research study of 250 OT and IT decision-makers across energy, utilities, transportation, logistics, and other industrial sectors, over 60% of industrial companies reported last year that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs.
With the economic significance of the industrial sector rising across the GCC, managing the financial downside of cyber threats is a growing priority for industrial companies across the Middle East.
Despite the cost of cybersecurity breaches, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimizing risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.
To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organizations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security[1].
The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organizations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customized, actionable recommendations. The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.
“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognize the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organizational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.
Across the GCC, industry is becoming a larger pillar of national growth plans. The UAE’s Operation 300bn targets lifting the industrial sector’s GDP contribution from AED 133bn to AED 300bn by 2031, while Saudi Arabia reports that National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) activities contributed SAR 986bn to non-oil GDP in 2024. Meanwhile, Qatar launched the National Manufacturing Strategy 2024–2030 aligned with its Third National Development Strategy to expand and upgrade manufacturing.
Use the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator to assess your results in comparison to peer organizations.
Kaspersky also offers the IT Security Calculator, a tool designed to assess the average cybersecurity budgets and security measures implemented across non-industrial sectors.
About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure and governments around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialized security products and services for companies, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and nearly 200,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
- Practical benchmarks and financial forecasts provided within the Calculator are based on insights from a joint study conducted by VDC Research and Kaspersky. ↑
