OT & IOT SECURITY: Examine connected systems without overlooking what they control.
OT and IoT security assessment examines exposure in operational environments and connected-device systems, including access paths, network separation and device dependencies. The approach accounts for what those systems control and the consequences of disruption, using review and testing methods suited to their safety and availability requirements.
- Discipline
- Cyber Defense
- Engagement type
- Assessment
Connected systems do not all carry the same consequences.
Operational environments
Industrial, building or other control systems can influence physical processes. Security decisions need to account for safety, availability, vendor constraints and the people responsible for operations.
Connected-device products
Devices, management platforms and supporting services create a different set of trust relationships. Assessment may focus on device access, communications, administration and the information exchanged with other systems.
Begin with the routes into and between systems.
Remote and vendor access
How external parties and support functions connect to the environment.
Network boundaries
Separation between business networks, operational systems and relevant management services.
Administration and identity
The accounts and interfaces that can change device or system behaviour.
Device and service relationships
Relevant communication and trust between devices, management platforms and connected services.
Support and recovery context
How update restrictions, lifecycle status and restoration arrangements affect practical security choices.
Match the method to the consequences of testing.
We establish system ownership, dependencies and operating restrictions before recommending assessment methods. Documentation and configuration review may be appropriate where active testing would create unacceptable uncertainty. Intrusive checks require separately agreed conditions, including suitable environments, specialist involvement and stop criteria. Findings distinguish observed weaknesses from areas that could not be validated safely.
What you receive
A system and assessment-boundary record, including operating restrictions.
Findings linked to the relevant access route, device or management service.
Practical corrective options, including dependencies on vendors, maintenance windows or further specialist investigation.
Are OT and IoT the same service?
They share some connected-system concerns, but the environments, techniques and consequences differ. We define which kind of system is involved before proposing the work.
Can you test a live operational system?
That requires a specific assessment of operating conditions, authority and potential impact. Active production testing should never be assumed from the service name.
Does this include firmware extraction or hardware testing?
Device and firmware testing require a different setup from reviewing an operational environment. Tell us the device models, interfaces and test units available so we can establish whether that work can be supported and how it would be scoped.
Describe the system before choosing the test.
Tell us what the environment controls or connects, who operates it and which access or exposure concerns you need to examine.
Related services: Network Architecture Review and Wireless Security Testing.