Your Guide to ICS/OT Cybersecurity Assessments -PlutoSec - Cyber Security Canada

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ICS/OT Cybersecurity Assessments

Research projections indicate that the global economic impact of cybercrime is expected to rise dramatically, from $8.44 trillion in 2022 to an astounding $23.84 trillion by 2027. Beyond the significant financial losses, cybercrime also poses a serious threat to critical infrastructure and industrial systems, potentially endangering human life and safety.

At PlutoSec, Canada’s leading cybersecurity firm, we are committed to addressing these escalating threats with advanced, cutting-edge solutions.

Threat actors target industrial organizations for various reasons, including stealing critical information, locking sensitive files for ransom, and causing operational disruptions. Even a single breach can significantly impact a company’s finances, leading to system downtime, damage to brand reputation, strained business relationships, and substantial fines or class action lawsuits. Recent years have seen numerous severe vulnerabilities affecting industrial control systems, prompting critical advisories from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

This post aims to provide a comprehensive guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity Assessments. It will describe how these assessments relate to other security evaluations, such as penetration testing, and address common questions about ICS/OT security. By the end, you should have a clear understanding of the activities, methodologies, and benefits of PlutoSec’s ICS/OT Cybersecurity Assessment services, what to expect from an ICS/OT assessment, and additional information to enhance your awareness of the ICS/OT assessment process.

This Guide Includes

MCSL A detailed guide to ICS/OT Security Assessments

MCSL An explanation of the significance of ICS/OT security

MCSL A description of the activities involved in an ICS/OT Security Assessment

MCSL How ICS/OT assessments contribute to IT security compliance efforts

MCSL What to expect from an ICS/OT Security Assessment

MCSL An overview of PlutoSec’s PTaaS Platform

MCSL The next steps for organizations interested in conducting an ICS/OT Security Assessment

Who Will Gain from This Guide?

This guide will be valuable to organizational leaders such as CEOs, CTOs, and CISOs, as well as senior team members like security engineers, network engineers, and administrators. It will also provide insights for IT professionals, including MSPs, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS providers.

  • C-level executives responsible for IT security (CISOs, CSOs, VPs of Security)

  • Other senior management (CEOs, Business Owners, Business Executives)

  • Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

  • Cybersecurity Architects, Network Architects, and Network Administrators

What Is An ICS/OT Cyber Security Assessment?

An ICS/OT Cybersecurity Assessment evaluates an organization’s Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT) to ensure that existing security controls can effectively guard against cyber-attacks and maintain operational resilience.

This process includes identifying and addressing vulnerabilities throughout the ICS/OT environment and producing a comprehensive report detailing the findings and offering recommendations for enhancing the organization’s cybersecurity stance.

ICS/OT Security Assessment

The primary goal of an ICS/OT Security Assessment is to uncover potential vulnerabilities and threats that could compromise the security and integrity of critical infrastructure and industrial processes. This assessment involves a thorough examination of the people, processes, and technology supporting ICS/OT operations. It goes beyond identifying known software vulnerabilities and configuration issues to explore all possible avenues that adversaries might exploit to infiltrate or disrupt essential systems. This approach supports a “defense in depth” strategy for ICS/OT security and resilience.

Each assessment is tailored to the specific environment of an organization’s ICS/OT processes, with the scope determined by the organization’s business objectives, ICS/OT network topology, and risk tolerance. The assessment involves identifying potential threat actors, evaluating the technical, administrative, and physical security controls in place, and testing their effectiveness.

Typically, an ICS/OT Security Assessment begins by examining external attack surfaces to ensure that ICS/OT infrastructure is protected from unauthorized access and properly segmented from other critical networks. External attack surfaces may include company websites, public-facing web applications, APIs, cloud-based applications, remote access services (like RDP and VPN), wireless access points, physical premises, and assessing the resilience of personnel against social engineering techniques.

To support a “defense in depth” approach, the assessment also tests internal security posture to address “what if” security scenarios such as:

  • What if an attacker were to gain access to a specific system?

  • What potential actions could an attacker take with stolen credentials?

  • What if an insider initiated a cyber-attack against the organization?

  • What if a zero-day vulnerability was exploited to breach a particular system?

  • What if an attacker managed to execute a session hijacking attack on a website user?

  • What if an attacker connected a malicious device to an exposed Ethernet port?

Addressing these questions helps determine the level of access a compromised credential, application, endpoint, rogue device, or socially engineered employee could grant an attacker. It also uncovers previously unknown attack techniques that might bypass existing security measures.

ICS/OT Security Assessments typically include a thorough Infrastructure Penetration Test, which encompasses an Active Directory (AD) assessment to identify weaknesses in passwords and configurations. Additionally, a ransomware assessment evaluates the potential impact of a ransomware attack and assesses the organization’s preparedness to detect and respond to such threats.

Organizations may also benefit from testing their detection and response capabilities through a “red team” exercise. Objective-based testing merges a red team engagement with an in-depth penetration test, offering valuable insights into a defensive IT security team’s performance and incident response abilities. This combined pentest and red team approach is a distinctive feature of PlutoSec’s services, providing significant value to our clients.

What Does An ICS/OT Security Assessment Include?

PlutoSec’s ICS/OT Security Assessments employ a range of testing methodologies and are carried out by certified experts to ensure safe testing practices that avoid any adverse effects on the target OT environment and processes. Key components of an ICS/OT Security Assessment include:

MCSL Certified Tester: The assessment is carried out by a Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP) certified tester, ensuring that the evaluation is conducted by a qualified expert with the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to safely test ICS and OT environments.

MCSL 100% Manual Testing: PlutoSec’s ICS/OT assessments rely entirely on manual testing methods. This approach avoids automated scans, ensuring that testing is customized to the organization’s specific needs and that there is no adverse impact on the OT environment.

MCSL Assessment of MITRE ATT&CK ICS TTP: The assessment incorporates ICS/OT-specific tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework’s ICS Matrix. This helps in identifying potential vulnerabilities and threats unique to the organization’s OT environment.

MCSL Network Segmentation: The assessment evaluates the segmentation between IT and OT networks. This analysis identifies security gaps and ensures proper separation to prevent unauthorized access between the networks.

MCSL White-Box Audit: A white-box audit is performed to thoroughly discover vulnerabilities and misconfigurations while minimizing impact. This includes a detailed examination of the technical components and configurations of the OT environment, evaluating host attack surfaces, and may involve source code analysis to uncover potential vulnerabilities.

By using certified testers and manual testing techniques, stakeholders can be confident that their ICS/OT environment has been thoroughly evaluated by the most qualified and experienced IT security professionals. This approach offers the highest level of assurance that the ICS/OT environment and its processes are robust against cyber-attacks and that operations can be sustained over the long term.

Why Are ICS/OT Security Assessments Crucial for Protecting Your Facility?

As cyber threats grow more advanced and complex, protecting critical infrastructure and industrial processes is increasingly vital. Vulnerabilities within ICS/OT environments can lead to severe consequences, including operational disruptions, significant financial losses, theft of proprietary information, and safety risks that could result in injury or even death. Performing an ICS/OT Security Assessment is an essential part of a robust risk management strategy, ensuring that facilities operate securely and reliably. By focusing on operational resilience and utilizing production-safe testing methods, ICS/OT assessments offer a tailored, thorough evaluation of an organization’s security posture.

Regular ICS/OT Security Assessments also enhance security awareness among staff, provide deeper insight into the organization’s risk profile, and offer valuable perspectives on potential attacker strategies. Proactively identifying and addressing vulnerabilities helps reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks and strengthens the overall resilience of the facility.

The advantages of conducting an ICS/OT Security Assessment include:

  • Safeguarding critical assets from cyber threats

  • Minimizing the risk of downtime by addressing vulnerabilities proactively

  • Assessing the effectiveness of incident response plans (IRP)

  • Identifying security gaps in network configurations that could expose ICS/OT systems

  • Enhancing understanding of ICS/OT-specific compensating controls

  • Ensuring that industrial networks, devices, and production lines adhere to security best practices

  • Boosting security awareness for ICS/OT technologies

  • Evaluating the security of third-party ICS and software

  • Supporting compliance with IT security standards

  • Providing the highest level of assurance for operational resilience

How does an ICS/OT Security Assessment differ from other types of security testing?

While ICS/OT Security Assessments have similarities with other types of security testing, such as vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, they differ significantly due to the unique challenges, risks, and requirements of industrial control systems and operational technology environments.

Here are some key distinctions that make ICS/OT Security Assessments unique:

MCSL Specialized ICS/OT Knowledge and Expertise: GICSP-certified testers possess in-depth knowledge of the systems, protocols, and devices specific to industrial control systems, allowing them to evaluate the security posture of ICS/OT environments effectively while ensuring no disruption to production operations.

MCSL Focus on Industrial Resilience: ICS/OT Security Assessments prioritize the protection of critical infrastructure and industrial processes, focusing on operational resilience. Unlike traditional security assessments that emphasize data and information systems, these assessments address the impact of cyber attacks on the availability, integrity, and reliability of industrial operations.

MCSL Unique Threat Landscape: ICS/OT environments face distinct threats and vulnerabilities compared to traditional IT environments. ICS/OT Security Assessments are tailored to these specific risks, utilizing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) from the MITRE ATT&CK framework’s ICS Matrix and threat intelligence relevant to ICS/OT technologies.

MCSL Production-Safe Testing: ICS/OT Security Assessments employ production-safe testing methods to avoid any negative impact on the OT environment. This approach differs from other security testing, which may use more aggressive techniques or be conducted in test environments.

MCSL Emphasis on Network Segmentation: A key focus of ICS/OT Security Assessments is evaluating network segmentation between IT and OT environments. Ensuring proper segmentation helps verify security controls and prevents unauthorized access to OT networks.

MCSL Distinct Compliance Requirements: ICS/OT environments are often subject to industry-specific regulations and standards that may not apply to traditional IT environments. ICS/OT Security Assessments help organizations meet these unique compliance requirements by ensuring their security posture aligns with relevant regulations.

How Do ICS/OT Security Assessments Assist with Regulatory Compliance?

ICS/OT Security Assessments are essential for organizations striving to meet the rigorous regulatory compliance standards that govern critical infrastructure and industrial operations. Frameworks such as NERC CIP, IEC 62443, and NIST SP 800-82 require organizations to implement robust security measures to safeguard their ICS/OT environments from cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

By regularly conducting ICS/OT Security Assessments, organizations can identify and address potential security gaps, ensuring their security posture aligns with regulatory standards.

These assessments, performed by highly specialized and experienced IT security professionals, offer valuable insights into an organization’s ICS/OT environment. They provide guidance for proactively preventing cyber-attacks, minimizing the impact of any potential breaches, and ensuring rapid and complete recovery if damage occurs.

Additionally, ICS/OT Security Assessments promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging the adoption of best practices and strengthening overall security resilience. Adhering to regulatory compliance not only helps organizations avoid costly penalties and reputational harm but also ensures the safety, reliability, and integrity of their critical infrastructure and industrial processes.

Who Performs the Testing?

At Plutosec, our dedicated team of ethical hackers holds the industry’s most advanced certifications. Every penetration tester at Plutosec is required to have at least the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) credential. The OSCP, awarded by Offensive Security, is a prestigious and globally recognized certification in ethical hacking. Although the OSCP is the baseline certification at Plutosec, many of our team members further enhance their expertise with additional certifications, including:

MCSL Offensive Security Experienced Penetration Tester (OSEP) (OSEP)

MCSL Offensive Security Wireless Attacks (OSWP)

MCSL Offensive Security Exploit Developer (OSED)

MCSL Offensive Security Web Expert (OSWE)

MCSL Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

MCSL Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

MCSL GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT)

MCSL GIAC Mobile Device Security Analyst (GMOB)

MCSL GIAC Systems and Network Auditor (GSNA)

MCSL GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)

MCSL GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)

MCSL Burp Suite Certified Practitioner

Plutosec’s commitment to professional growth ensures that our team of OSCP-certified penetration testers exhibits unparalleled hands-on expertise and industry-leading proficiency in penetration testing.

Why Select Plutosec for Your Next ICS/OT Security Assessment?

When selecting a security consultant for Penetration Testing, whether for risk management, data protection, regulatory compliance, or cyber insurance requirements, it’s essential to choose a partner with a solid reputation and proven expertise. Key factors to consider include the consultant’s reputation, trustworthiness, size, experience, professionalism, certification levels, and specialized skills relevant to your organization’s environment.

At Plutosec, all of our testers are certified with at least the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) credential, and many hold additional prestigious IT security certifications. Our capabilities exceed industry standards.

We perform all testing activities in-house without outsourcing to third parties and boast an impressive average NPS score of 9.5/10 from our clients. We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of communication, security, and privacy.

Our highly trained team employs a robust testing methodology that goes beyond standard procedures to thoroughly understand your specific penetration testing needs. We take a consultative approach to ensure our clients fully comprehend our reports and assessments, and we provide additional support to help plan the next steps toward a stronger security posture and a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

What Does a Report Include?

An ICS/OT Security Assessment report provides a detailed account of the findings from the evaluation process conducted by the assessment consultant. It covers various aspects of the ICS/OT environment, including infrastructure, applications, configurations, and potential vulnerabilities. The report is organized to prioritize identified vulnerabilities based on their severity and includes evidence of successful exploits, such as exfiltrated data, cracked passwords, or screenshots of unauthorized system access. It also offers insights into both technical and non-technical aspects of the organization’s security posture.

Organizations can use the ICS/OT Security Assessment report to enhance their cyber defenses by addressing identified vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The report helps to contextualize these vulnerabilities, fostering greater security awareness and promoting a proactive approach to protecting critical infrastructure and industrial processes.

Upon receiving the report, organizations have the opportunity to seek clarification on the results. They may choose to request additional testing or begin the remediation process based on the findings.

Plutosecs PTaaS Platform

Plutosecs’ Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) platform is a cloud-based solution designed to enhance reporting and workflow management for ICS/OT Security Assessments. This platform provides real-time insights, streamlining the delivery of vulnerability information and facilitating better collaboration among teams and stakeholders. With PTaaS, managers and stakeholders can efficiently track the progress of ICS/OT testing engagements, quickly access and review findings, prioritize remediation efforts, and communicate directly with Plutosecs to request retests once remediation is completed.

The benefits of Plutosec’s PTaaS Cloud Platform include:

  • Secure access to both current and past reports

  • Real-time insights and progress updates available on-demand

  • Easy and direct communication for scheduling retests

  • Enhanced collaboration among testing teams

  • Convenient access for all stakeholders to track engagement progress

  • Integration with project management platforms like JIRA and ServiceNow

Next Steps

For organizations with ICS/OT infrastructure, the next step is to reach out to a member of the Plutosec team today. Our specialized experts can assist you in assessing your current risk profile, address any questions you may have, and initiate the process of proactively evaluating the security of your critical ICS/OT assets.

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