The adoption of smart manufacturing is spreading at a rapid pace. With the introduction and implementation of new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Industrial Internet of Things, technology is taking manufacturing to a place it’s never been before. With the increased connectivity comes increased cyber risk. Threat actors are evolving and advancing their techniques for infiltrating OT networks, and according to the Rockwell Automation State of Smart Manufacturing report, 71% of all ransomware attacks on industrial organizations are focused on manufacturing.
The constantly evolving threat landscape requires industrial organizations to implement robust security measures and adequately assess their internal and external environments through comprehensive assessments. Before conducting an assessment, it is important to understand what an assessment is, the various types of assessments that are available, the benefits of each, and what value and outcome they provide.
You can’t protect what you can’t see. Lack of visibility is a challenge across all industries, specifically manufacturing, as many OT networks are riddled with legacy equipment across multiple segmented networks. Assessments can help organizations gain critical insights into their manufacturing processes, connected assets, and the relative cyber risks they pose. Network visibility helps lay the foundation for a successful OT cyber journey that can help industrials maintain uptime, mitigate risk, and secure operations.
What is a Cybersecurity Assessment?
A cybersecurity assessment is the process of evaluating security controls to examine the organization’s overall security posture. Assessments can include tactics such as validating the preparedness against unknown vulnerabilities, attack vectors, etc. to help track systems, applications, and network flaws, implement defensive controls, and keep policies up to date. The overall goal of cybersecurity assessments is to help organizations understand the assets within their manufacturing space and the associated vulnerabilities. A cyber assessment serves as the foundation for an OT security journey by creating visibility across the enterprise.
Cybersecurity assessments can range in scope depending on the organization’s objectives, size, and compliance standards. Defining your assessment goals and requirements ahead of time can help select an assessment that is appropriate for your organization, and to create the most appropriate cyber roadmap, prioritizing unique concerns and how to resolve them.
All assessments, whether entry-level, or full-scope, evaluate the current networks, assets, and related vulnerabilities. Assessments also analyze compliance, identify the attack surface, evaluate cyber resiliency, identify potential threats to the assets as well as understanding an organization's behaviors and risk tolerance. While it is possible to conduct a cyber assessment internally, working with a third-party like Rockwell Automation will allow manufacturers to lean into the expertise of an established industrial automation organization. A third-party also provides a global scope, helping secure operations according to various industries, regulations, requirements, and demands with a custom, enterprise-focused approach.