How to Protect Your Network from OT Vulnerability Risks

Operational Technology (OT) vulnerabilities are an important security challenge that can result in industrial system disruptions, safety concerns, and substantial financial impacts. OT systems — the hardware and software controlling critical industrial processes in industries manufacturing, energy, utilities, and transportation — have become prime targets for cyberattacks seeking to disrupt critical infrastructure.

In this blog, we explore the topic of OT vulnerabilities, including the challenges and benefits of effective OT vulnerability management, and how Lansweeper can help.

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What Are OT Vulnerabilities?

OT vulnerabilities are security weaknesses in industrial control systems that cybercriminals can exploit to gain unauthorized access or cause operational damage. These flaws exist within the hardware and software systems that monitor, control, and automate industrial processes across critical infrastructure sectors.

OT vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they affect systems that:

• Control real-world critical processes like manufacturing lines and power grids
• Manage essential parameters such as speed, temperature, and pressure
• Often lack modern security features like encryption and authentication
• Use proprietary communication protocols that are poorly documented

Why Are OT Systems So Vulnerable?

Many OT environments face unique security challenges:

• Legacy systems: Designed decades ago without modern cybersecurity in mind
• Continuous operation requirements: Systems cannot be easily shut down for updates
• IT-OT convergence: Integration exposes OT systems to traditional IT threats like malware and ransomware
• Direct internet connections: Devices often connect directly to the internet with weak security configurations

These aspects mean that OT vulnerabilities cannot be managed in the same way as common IT vulnerabilities. A lack of specialized security strategy can make them easy and attractive targets for malicious actors.

Key Benefits of Dedicated OT Vulnerability Management

Implementing comprehensive OT vulnerability management delivers multiple advantages:

• Security Enhancement: By regularly identifying and remediating vulnerabilities, OT vulnerability management protects OT systems from evolving cyber threats and prevents unauthorized access to critical infrastructure.
• Simplified Compliance: Structured vulnerability management helps organizations meet industry regulations like NERC CIP, NIST SP 800-82, and IEC 62443, avoiding penalties and legal issues.
• Operational Resilience: Proactive vulnerability mitigation maintains the reliability and safety of industrial processes, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime and system failures.
• Cost Reduction: Preventing security incidents through proactive management eliminates costly emergency responses, production losses, and system recovery efforts.
• Safety Assurance: Proper vulnerability management reduces risks of safety hazards, environmental damage, and potential harm to personnel.

How Do IT and OT Vulnerability Management Differ?

IT and OT vulnerability management differ primarily in their priorities and operational constraints. While IT systems focus on data confidentiality, integrity, and availability, OT systems prioritize safety, reliability, and continuous operation.

Key differences include:

	IT Systems	OT Systems
Primary Focus	Data processing and storage	Physical process control
Downtime Tolerance	Regular maintenance windows	Minimal interruption allowed
Update Frequency	Regular patches and updates	Scheduled during planned outages
Security Priority	Data protection	Safety and operational continuity

What Are the Main Challenges in OT Vulnerability Management?

Managing OT vulnerabilities comes with a unique set of challenges that differ significantly from traditional IT settings. Here’s a closer look at some of these obstacles and how organizations can tackle them.

1. How Do You Identify OT Vulnerabilities?

Identifying OT vulnerabilities is challenging due to legacy systems and proprietary technologies that resist conventional scanning tools. Traditional vulnerability assessment methods often cannot properly evaluate industrial control systems without risking operational disruption.

Organizations must use specialized OT-aware scanning tools and methodologies that understand industrial protocols and can safely assess systems without interfering with operations.

2. How Do You Avoid Operational Downtime?

OT systems require continuous operation, making patch deployment complex and time-sensitive. Unlike IT environments where regular maintenance is routine, OT systems may only have scheduled downtime windows months apart.

Strategic approaches include:

• Scheduling updates during planned maintenance windows
• Testing patches in isolated environments before deployment
• Implementing compensating controls like network segmentation for immediate protection
• Using enhanced monitoring during vulnerable periods

3. How Do You Handle OT System Complexity?

OT environments typically consist of diverse components from multiple vendors using varying protocols and standards. This heterogeneous mix, often combining legacy systems, built to last decades, paired with modern technology, creates significant challenges for implementing unified security strategies.

Organizations must develop flexible approaches that accommodate different technologies while maintaining consistent security postures across the entire OT infrastructure.

What Are the Best Practices for OT Vulnerability Management?

Addressing the challenges of OT vulnerabilities management requires a deep understanding of both the operational and security aspects of OT systems, along with comprehensive security policies that encompass the entire lifecycle of OT devices, from procurement to decommissioning.

Here are a few best practices to follow, as you design and implement your OT vulnerabilities management strategy:

Implement a Risk-Based Approach

Prioritize vulnerabilities based on their potential impact and likelihood of exploitation. Conduct thorough risk assessments that consider:

• Asset criticality within industrial processes
• Potential consequences of successful attacks
• Current threat landscape and attack vectors
• Available mitigation options and resources

Deploy Patches Strategically:

Schedule patch deployment during planned maintenance windows to minimize operational disruptions. Follow these practices:

• Test all patches in controlled environments before production deployment
• Maintain detailed rollback procedures for problematic updates
• Implement compensating controls for systems awaiting patches
• Coordinate with operations teams for optimal timing

Ensure Compliance with Industry Regulations and Standards

Align vulnerability management practices with relevant industry regulations and standards. Key frameworks include:

• NERC CIP: For energy sector critical infrastructure protection
• NIST SP 800-82: Guidelines for industrial control systems security
• IEC 62443: Standards for industrial communication networks and systems

How Do You Choose an OT Vulnerability Management Solution?

Select solutions that offer continuous monitoring, comprehensive asset discovery, and risk-based prioritization capabilities. Essential features include:

• Continuous monitoring and detection to quickly identify vulnerabilities and potential threats, so that issues are detected and addressed promptly, before they can be exploited.
• A comprehensive asset inventory of all OT assets, including devices, systems, software, and their interconnections.
• Risk-based prioritization, taking into account the criticality of the asset, the potential impact of an exploit, and the likelihood of an attack.
• Strategic patch management, and the capability to schedule updates during maintenance windows to minimize operational disruptions and maintain continuity.
• Automated documentation and reporting to simplify the process of demonstrating regulatory compliance and identifying areas for improvement.
• Scalability and integration to accommodate the growth of OT environments and the flexibility to integrate with existing IT security infrastructure including SIEM systems and endpoint protection platforms.

How Can Lansweeper Help with OT Vulnerability Management?

Lansweeper combines IT and OT discovery to provide a holistic view of every network-connected asset across your organization, so you can discover, inventory and manage IT and OT devices across the infrastructure, all in one place. Lansweeper data can be used to understand OT performance, health status, and utilization patterns at-a-glance, as well as proactively detect security threats and enforce access controls to safeguard critical OT infrastructure.

Lansweeper integrates seamlessly with existing IT security infrastructure, including SIEM systems, endpoint protection platforms, and network security tools, for a unified approach. Continuous monitoring and alerts help to ensure that any vulnerabilities or threats are promptly detected and addressed, and that risks can be mitigated before they can impact operations.

Other capabilities include:

• Patch Management, to reduce manual effort and ensuring all systems are up-to-date with the latest security fixes.
• Enhanced Reporting for demonstrating due diligence in vulnerability management.
• Scalability and Flexibility to grow with your organization and adapt to various types of industrial systems.

By choosing Lansweeper’s OT vulnerability management solution, you can enhance your organization’s security posture, streamline compliance, and protect critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats. Learn more about Lansweeper for OT.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between IT and OT vulnerabilities? + –

  OT vulnerabilities affect industrial control systems that manage physical processes, while IT vulnerabilities impact data systems. OT vulnerabilities pose risks to safety, operational continuity, and critical infrastructure, whereas IT vulnerabilities primarily threaten data confidentiality and system availability.

• How often should OT vulnerability assessments be performed? + –

  OT vulnerability assessments should be conducted continuously through automated monitoring, with comprehensive manual assessments performed at least quarterly or whenever significant system changes occur. The frequency may increase based on regulatory requirements and threat landscape changes.

• Can traditional IT security tools be used for OT environments? + –

  Traditional IT security tools are generally not suitable for OT environments due to different protocols, operational requirements, and safety considerations. Specialized OT security solutions designed for industrial environments are necessary to avoid operational disruptions while maintaining effective security.

• What are the biggest risks of unmanaged OT vulnerabilities? + –

  Unmanaged OT vulnerabilities can lead to production shutdowns, safety incidents, environmental damage, regulatory violations, and significant financial losses. They also provide entry points for cybercriminals to disrupt critical infrastructure and potentially cause widespread societal impact.

• How long does it typically take to implement OT vulnerability management? + –

  Implementation timelines vary based on environment complexity, but typically range from 3-12 months for comprehensive deployment. Initial asset discovery and basic monitoring can often be established within weeks, while full integration and process optimization may require several months of gradual implementation.