An OT/ICS security assessment is a safety-first evaluation of the industrial control systems - SCADA, PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, and DCS - that operate physical processes in plants, utilities, and critical infrastructure. Using a passive-by-default methodology aligned with IEC 62443 and the Purdue reference model, CyberXplore's senior-led testers map your control network, validate segmentation between IT and OT, and identify exposed legacy protocols and pathways an attacker could abuse - all without interrupting production. We translate findings into prioritized, engineering-aware remediation that respects availability and safety as the highest priority.
IEC 62443Purdue ModelNIST CSFMITRE ATT&CK for ICS
Why CyberXplore
Senior-only testers (OSCP, CRTP, CREST)
ISO 27001 & ISO 9001 certified
Free retest + attestation letter
Tailored scope and quote in 24 hours
Why it matters
OT and ICS environments run physical processes - a compromise can halt production, damage equipment, or threaten worker and public safety, not just leak data.
Decades of IT/OT convergence have erased the air gap: flat networks, remote access, and exposed legacy protocols give attackers a path from the corporate LAN straight to the plant floor.
Industrial protocols like Modbus, DNP3, and EtherNet/IP were designed for reliability, not security - most have no authentication or encryption, so any reachable device can be read or commanded.
Regulators and frameworks such as IEC 62443, NIS2, and the NIST CSF increasingly demand demonstrable OT cyber-risk management, segmentation, and independent assessment evidence.
Aligned with industry standards: IEC 62443 · Purdue Model · NIST CSF · MITRE ATT&CK for ICS
Our methodology
01
Scoping & Safety Planning
We work with your operations and engineering teams to define a safe scope, agree rules of engagement, identify safety-critical assets, and establish that nothing in the assessment may impact availability or physical safety.
02
Passive Discovery & Asset Inventory
Using passive traffic capture and span-port analysis, we map devices, communication flows, and protocols across each Purdue level - building an asset inventory and network model without sending intrusive traffic to control devices.
03
Architecture & Segmentation Review
We assess the Purdue model implementation, IT/OT zone and conduit boundaries, DMZ design, firewall rulesets, and remote-access pathways to validate segmentation and surface flat-network and bypass risks.
04
Targeted, Consent-Gated Active Testing
Only where explicitly authorized and safe - typically in a lab, test cell, or maintenance window - do we perform controlled active checks against non-production or redundant assets to confirm exposures without touching live process control.
05
Risk Analysis & Reporting
Findings are rated against process impact and IEC 62443 security levels, with clear evidence, attack paths, and engineering-aware remediation that accounts for patching constraints and legacy equipment.
06
Remediation Support & Validation
We guide your team through compensating controls and fixes, then re-validate resolved issues - included free - to confirm exposures are closed without disrupting operations.
What we test
SCADA, DCS, PLC, RTU, and HMI exposure and configuration review
Purdue model zoning and IT/OT segmentation validation
OT DMZ, firewall rulesets, and conduit boundary review
Remote access, jump hosts, and vendor/third-party connectivity
Legacy and unsupported systems, default credentials, and weak authentication
Engineering workstations, historians, and patch/AV posture
Wireless, serial, and physical access pathways into the control network
Network architecture mapping and passive asset inventory
Alignment of zones and conduits with IEC 62443 security levels
What you get
Executive summary framing OT cyber risk in safety and operational terms
Passive asset inventory and control-network architecture diagram
Detailed findings with process-impact-weighted severity and evidence
Segmentation and Purdue-model gap analysis with recommended zones and conduits
Engineering-aware remediation roadmap, including compensating controls for legacy assets
IEC 62443-mapped findings to support compliance and audit evidence
Free re-validation of remediated issues with an attestation letter
Sample deliverable
What you'll see in your report
Every engagement ends with a clear, prioritized report: severity-rated findings with CVSS scores, affected assets, and remediation status - plus a free retest. The figures below are illustrative.
Findings by severity
21 total
Critical
1
High
7
Medium
8
Low
5
Critical · CVSS 9.0CX-1102
PLC reachable over Modbus without authentication
CWE-306plc-01 (192.0.2.10)Open
High · CVSS 8.2CX-1108
Flat network - no IT / OT segmentation
CWE-923OT VLANOpen
Illustrative ot / ics security assessment sample - anonymized to example.com.
High · CVSS 7.8CX-1114
Legacy unpatched HMI (end-of-life OS)
CWE-1104hmi-03Open
Want the full anonymized sample report? We'll include it with your quote.
Cumulative figures across our team's combined engagement history
Shared under NDA · details anonymized
“CyberXplore found critical issues three previous vendors missed. The report was the clearest we've ever received - our engineers fixed everything in a week, and the free retest confirmed every fix held.”
23 critical findings surfaced
HS
Head of Security
European SaaS platform · Series C · 450 employees
B2B SaaS
Shared under NDA · details anonymized
“Senior testers, fast turnaround, and a free retest that actually proved our fixes worked. They made our SOC 2 audit painless.”
SOC 2 passed first attempt
VE
VP of Engineering
Series B FinTech · Payments platform
FinTech
Certifications held by our testers
OSCP
CRTP
CREST
CEH
eWPTX
ISO 27001
ISO 9001
Frequently asked questions
No. Our methodology is safety-first and passive by default - we rely on traffic capture and configuration review rather than scanning or probing live control devices. Any active testing happens only on non-production or redundant assets, with explicit consent and an agreed safe window. Availability and physical safety are always the top priority.
