Streamline Your OT Security Procurement: Essential OT RFP Template Guide

In today’s hyper-connected world, even networks and systems that were once offline, like operational technology (OT) are vulnerable to internet-exposed risks. Unfortunately, due to this digital transformation, malicious actors increasingly turn their attention to OT systems to disrupt manufacturing operations.

Manufacturers may lack a clear understanding of how to secure the devices and systems within their OT environment; after all, cybersecurity is a relatively new consideration for this industry. Investing in an OT security platform can provide manufacturers with robust protection by identifying and mitigating critical risks to OT systems. Because manufacturing processes are time-sensitive, and any download time can result in significant losses, an ideal OT security platform does more than make recommendations about patching the latest zero-day and provides manufacturers with holistic risk mitigation options and targeted mitigation recommendations.

Purchasing can be complex in the manufacturing world due to the critical nature of manufacturing and multiple regulatory and compliance considerations. As such, manufacturers undergo a request for proposal (RFP) process and perform rigorous evaluations of each vendor to select the right OT security tool for their environment.

A solid understanding of the key features of a best-in-class OT security platform and an OT Security RFP Template can help facilitate the selection process.

What are the Key Features to Consider When Selecting an OT Security Platform?

Connected machinery has enabled new levels of innovation and efficiency for manufacturers, with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-driven systems enabling faster decision-making and optimized production processes. While cybersecurity risks are commonplace for connected devices, cyberattacks against IIoT and OT systems can have ripple effects beyond the factory floor, potentially impacting entire supply chains.

Some common cybersecurity concerns for manufacturers include:

• Legacy Systems and Unpatched Vulnerabilities: OT systems were designed to have long lifespans (some can exceed 20 years), and as a result, many OT workstations still run end-of-life operating systems, such as Windows XP.
• Converged IT and OT Networks: Once separate and distinct, OT systems increasingly resemble IT systems as they adopt IT technologies to promote corporate connectivity and remote access. As a result, threat actors can exploit vulnerabilities in the IT network, pivot into the OT environment, and potentially disrupt critical industrial processes.
• Compromised IIoT or OT Devices: The proliferation of IIoT devices, including sensors, actuators, and controllers, has greatly expanded the attack surface for OT environments. Traditional passive scanners are not equipped to handle the complexity of IIoT and OT networks, making IIoT security challenging.

When manufacturers evaluate an OT security platform to safeguard their connected IIoT and OT devices, they should prioritize features and capabilities tailored to the unique challenges of these environments.

Device Visibility and Classification

Step one of any security program is always an inventory of all network-accessible devices. This can be challenging because many OT environments have a mix of legacy and modern IIoT devices. An OT security solution should automatically identify all devices and maintain an up-to-date inventory with details such as device time, manufacturer, and firmware version.

Additionally, OT environments rely on specialized protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3, CIP, BACnet) and proprietary systems that differ from those on traditional IT networks. To ensure the device inventory is accurate, the OT solution should be able to parse any communication protocols present on the network quickly.

Vulnerability Mitigation and Remediation

According to the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) Guide to Operational Technology (OT) Security, the lifespan of most OT systems makes patching operating systems and other known software vulnerabilities complex. NIST guidance recommends leveraging compensating controls wherever possible.

An ideal OT solution uses industry standards to identify, analyze, and rank critical vulnerabilities and provides targeted recommendations for vulnerability management by surfacing the simplest actions to reduce risk. For example, suppose a manufacturing company uses an industrial control system (ICS) to manage its assembly line, and the ICS vendor has released a patch for a critical vulnerability. If the ICS is not directly exposed to the internet but communicates with other systems on the corporate network and no network segmentation is in place, there is still a risk. The ideal solution may include deploying the patch during scheduled downtime to avoid losses from taking machinery offline or isolating the ICS from other networks to minimize the risk of compromise.

When manufacturers have complete insight into the risks associated with critical vulnerabilities, they can make informed mitigation decisions that balance the need to avoid disruption and reduce their chances of experiencing a cyberattack.

Threat Detection and Incident Response

As with other industries that provide critical services, manufacturing has a low threshold for downtime as it directly impacts revenue and operations. Threat intelligence feeds and continuous monitoring of OT systems allow manufacturers to quickly identify and respond to unusual activities, minimizing the risk of potential attacks and operational disruptions.

The OT solution should analyze network traffic to and from all connected devices to detect and alert on anomalous behavior in real-time. Early detection of anomalous behavior can enhance a security team’s ability to respond to an in-progress attack.

If a factory uses an IIoT-enabled monitoring system for temperature and pressure sensors across its production lines, it would be expected for these sensors to send small packets of data at regular intervals to the central control system. However, if network traffic from several sensors suddenly spikes significantly, it is likely an indicator of compromise (IoC). In this scenario, the OT solution sends alerts when and if the sensors suddenly send large amounts of data to an unknown external IP address.

Configuration Control

Similar to having a device inventory, having a snapshot of an IIoT and OT device’s ‘known good configuration’ allows for streamlined recovery in the event of configuration changes or cyberattacks.

The OT solution should enable teams to create bulk and automatic configuration snapshots, monitor for configuration drift, and send alerts if the device drifts from its preferred configuration status. Configuration drift in IIoT or OT systems, especially when it involves unauthorized or unexplained changes, can be a telltale IOC. Many IIoT and OT devices operate within very specific parameters to ensure optimal performance and safety. If routine monitoring uncovers a configuration drift but no authorized personnel made changes to the system, and no maintenance was logged, it could suggest that a user with access to the system altered the configuration without proper authorization.

Monitoring for anomalies caused by configuration drift and promptly responding can prevent operational disruptions, larger-scale attacks, and even safety risks.

Risk Modeling, Reporting, and Operational Efficency

When manufacturers understand their risk, they can take proactive steps to mitigate to secure their IIoT/OT devices and the broader network.

When an OT solution creates an organizational risk score, complete with theoretical and actional recommendations, teams can make informed decisions to reduce their overall risk. This applies to both existing and new OT devices. Additionally, the solution can be configured to send repeated alerts until they are resolved, allowing manufacturers to address critical risk conditions and prevent cyberattacks.

Integrations and Support

An essential but easily overlooked feature of an OT security solution is how well it integrates with the network and what services the OT vendor provides. NIST recommends taking precautions when introducing security solutions to OT environments.

When OT solutions offer a clear and comprehensive list of integrations, teams can determine how the tool will integrate with OT systems and work well alongside endpoint security solutions and broader cybersecurity frameworks.

How to select the best OT security platform (and how an OT Security RFP Template helps)

OT environments now face the same types of threats that have plagued IT systems for years. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, securing OT systems requires a proactive and multifaceted approach.

Introducing new OT security tools can be complex due to the unique mix of legacy and new technology combined with proprietary protocols. Using an OT Security RFP template can help streamline the process by pulling together a robust list of the key features to look for when selecting an OT solution. Further complicating the matter, not all OT security vendors are created equal, and tracking the differences can be challenging.

Using an OT Security RFP template can help manufacturers quickly and easily compare vendors. You want a clear picture of how each potential solution aligns with your unique environment. By leveraging an OT Security RFP template, manufacturers can gain a complete and accurate view of each potential vendor’s strengths and weaknesses.

Introducing the Asimily OT Security RFP Template

OT systems no longer exist in controlled, offline environments. As such, cyber threats against OT systems will continue to evolve, especially as these environments increasingly resemble traditional IT networks. However, there are risk management and mitigation steps organizations can take to manage cybersecurity threats to industrial networks.

The Asimily platform is designed expressly with IIoT and OT devices in mind. To that end, we wanted to make it easy for manufacturers to feel confident that Asimily is the right partner to help secure their IIoT and OT fleet.

We recently launched the free Asimily OT Security RFP Template. This template is an editable Word document that allows manufacturers to quickly and easily track which key features each vendor’s OT security solution has. Each feature has a different section in the template, making it clear which features each vendor has so teams can evaluate how they align with the organization’s needs.

Download your free Asimily OT Security RFP Template today.