# Why should I eliminate inbound ports in my operational technology network?

- Link: https://www.agilicus.com/faq/why-should-i-eliminate-inbound-ports-in-my-operational-technology-network/
- Published: 2026-05-11T15:52:50+00:00
- Author: Don Bowman

Eliminating inbound ports is a critical step in reducing the attack surface of an
operational technology network. Traditional remote access often relies on open listeners
or legacy virtual private networks, which make internal systems visible to automated
scanners and malicious actors on the public internet. By replacing these with outbound-
only reverse tunnels, you render the internal environment invisible to external 
threats while still allowing secure, authenticated access for authorized users. 
You can find more details on our [comparison of identity-aware access and port-forwarding](https://www.agilicus.com/compare/port-forwarding/).

For more information, see [Industrial Cyber Security Best Practices](https://www.agilicus.com/white-papers/industrial-cyber-security-best-practices/).