Case Study
Enhancing OT Cybersecurity and Resilience for a Leading Utility Provider
The evolving OT risk in critical utilities
Utilities run the services societies cannot live without, power, water, distribution networks. That criticality makes them high-value targets. Modern utilities juggle legacy controllers in remote sites, vendor remote access, and converged IT/OT networks; all of that increases exposure to cyber incidents that can halt operations, harm the environment, or endanger lives.
When one leading national utility came to Shieldworkz, their core problem was simple but dangerous: they didn’t fully know what they had, how exposed it was, or whether long-buried compromises were already present. Regulators and boards were pressing for demonstrable compliance and measurable risk reduction. Shieldworkz delivered an end-to-end program that moved the organization from reactive firefighting to predictable resilience.
About this case study
This case study describes Shieldworkz end-to-end engagement with a leading utility provider operating critical national infrastructure. The client needed to eliminate OT blind spots, satisfy regulatory expectations (including IEC 62443 and NIST CSF alignment), and remove any latent compromises-without disrupting continuous service. Shieldworkz delivered a multi-phased program that combined safe discovery, active threat hunting, architecture redesign, system hardening, and final validation.
Download this case study to see the step-by-step approach, measurable outcomes, and the board-ready evidence package that supported the utility’s shift from reactive to resilient security.
The challenge: blind spots, compliance pressure, and latent risk
The utility’s security team faced four urgent problems:
Limited visibility - many ICS devices and remote assets were unknown or poorly classified.
Regulatory uncertainty - leadership needed defensible proof of compliance against IEC 62443 and NIST CSF controls.
Fear of hidden compromise - executives worried that persistent threats might already exist inside the network.
Fragmented security ownership - overlapping point solutions and unclear governance hindered an effective lifecycle approach.
Each problem amplified the others. Without a single trusted program to discover, prioritize, and remediate, the client could neither prove compliance nor confidently lower operational risk.
Shieldworkz approach - a six-phase, safety-first program
Shieldworkz designed a pragmatic, low-disruption program that prioritized safety and business continuity:
Risk assessment & gap analysis - benchmarked controls against IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and maturity models to produce a prioritized roadmap.
Passive asset discovery & NDR deployment - safe, non-intrusive mapping of PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, engineering workstations and field networks to build a canonical inventory.
Vulnerability & compromise assessment - correlate assets to advisories and hunt for Indicators of Compromise (IoCs); surface dormant malware and risky outbound connections.
Policy and architecture overhaul - rework segmentation (Purdue model), vendor remote access controls, and change management processes.
System hardening & remediation - targeted hardening (least privilege, service reduction, application allow-listing) focused on engineering endpoints and servers.
Validation & handoff - final audit confirming remediations, control effectiveness, and compliance evidence for executive reporting.
This phased method minimized operational risk while delivering outcomes that leaders could measure and act upon.
Business impact - why leaders care
The utility’s leadership gained three tangible benefits:
Regulatory and stakeholder confidence - validated controls and clear reporting reduced audit friction.
Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact. Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact.
Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time. Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time.
Industry trend data confirms the value: organizations that shorten detection and containment see meaningful reductions in breach cost and operational impact. Rapid, OT-aware detection is an investment that pays off in both safety and balance-sheet terms.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility first: A living asset inventory is the foundation of any OT cybersecurity program.
Safe discovery: Start passive-only use active queries in approved maintenance windows.
Prioritize by business impact: Map technical gaps to downtime, safety, and regulatory exposure to secure funding.
Hunt proactively: Regular compromise assessments reveal threats that standard scanners miss.
Make remediation auditable: Tie fixes to tickets and validation evidence so leadership can see progress.
Ready to move from reactive to resilient?
If your organization operates distributed or remote OT assets and you need a program that delivers demonstrable risk reduction and compliance evidence, request Shieldworkz case study and schedule a free rapid assessment. We’ll show how a safety-first discovery and remediation program delivers measurable business value-and prepare a pilot plan tailored to your environment.
Fill out the form to download the full case study and claim a complimentary 30-minute discovery call with a Shieldworkz OT specialist.
Download your copy today!
The evolving OT risk in critical utilities
Utilities run the services societies cannot live without, power, water, distribution networks. That criticality makes them high-value targets. Modern utilities juggle legacy controllers in remote sites, vendor remote access, and converged IT/OT networks; all of that increases exposure to cyber incidents that can halt operations, harm the environment, or endanger lives.
When one leading national utility came to Shieldworkz, their core problem was simple but dangerous: they didn’t fully know what they had, how exposed it was, or whether long-buried compromises were already present. Regulators and boards were pressing for demonstrable compliance and measurable risk reduction. Shieldworkz delivered an end-to-end program that moved the organization from reactive firefighting to predictable resilience.
About this case study
This case study describes Shieldworkz end-to-end engagement with a leading utility provider operating critical national infrastructure. The client needed to eliminate OT blind spots, satisfy regulatory expectations (including IEC 62443 and NIST CSF alignment), and remove any latent compromises-without disrupting continuous service. Shieldworkz delivered a multi-phased program that combined safe discovery, active threat hunting, architecture redesign, system hardening, and final validation.
Download this case study to see the step-by-step approach, measurable outcomes, and the board-ready evidence package that supported the utility’s shift from reactive to resilient security.
The challenge: blind spots, compliance pressure, and latent risk
The utility’s security team faced four urgent problems:
Limited visibility - many ICS devices and remote assets were unknown or poorly classified.
Regulatory uncertainty - leadership needed defensible proof of compliance against IEC 62443 and NIST CSF controls.
Fear of hidden compromise - executives worried that persistent threats might already exist inside the network.
Fragmented security ownership - overlapping point solutions and unclear governance hindered an effective lifecycle approach.
Each problem amplified the others. Without a single trusted program to discover, prioritize, and remediate, the client could neither prove compliance nor confidently lower operational risk.
Shieldworkz approach - a six-phase, safety-first program
Shieldworkz designed a pragmatic, low-disruption program that prioritized safety and business continuity:
Risk assessment & gap analysis - benchmarked controls against IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and maturity models to produce a prioritized roadmap.
Passive asset discovery & NDR deployment - safe, non-intrusive mapping of PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, engineering workstations and field networks to build a canonical inventory.
Vulnerability & compromise assessment - correlate assets to advisories and hunt for Indicators of Compromise (IoCs); surface dormant malware and risky outbound connections.
Policy and architecture overhaul - rework segmentation (Purdue model), vendor remote access controls, and change management processes.
System hardening & remediation - targeted hardening (least privilege, service reduction, application allow-listing) focused on engineering endpoints and servers.
Validation & handoff - final audit confirming remediations, control effectiveness, and compliance evidence for executive reporting.
This phased method minimized operational risk while delivering outcomes that leaders could measure and act upon.
Business impact - why leaders care
The utility’s leadership gained three tangible benefits:
Regulatory and stakeholder confidence - validated controls and clear reporting reduced audit friction.
Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact. Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact.
Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time. Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time.
Industry trend data confirms the value: organizations that shorten detection and containment see meaningful reductions in breach cost and operational impact. Rapid, OT-aware detection is an investment that pays off in both safety and balance-sheet terms.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility first: A living asset inventory is the foundation of any OT cybersecurity program.
Safe discovery: Start passive-only use active queries in approved maintenance windows.
Prioritize by business impact: Map technical gaps to downtime, safety, and regulatory exposure to secure funding.
Hunt proactively: Regular compromise assessments reveal threats that standard scanners miss.
Make remediation auditable: Tie fixes to tickets and validation evidence so leadership can see progress.
Ready to move from reactive to resilient?
If your organization operates distributed or remote OT assets and you need a program that delivers demonstrable risk reduction and compliance evidence, request Shieldworkz case study and schedule a free rapid assessment. We’ll show how a safety-first discovery and remediation program delivers measurable business value-and prepare a pilot plan tailored to your environment.
Fill out the form to download the full case study and claim a complimentary 30-minute discovery call with a Shieldworkz OT specialist.
Download your copy today!
The evolving OT risk in critical utilities
Utilities run the services societies cannot live without, power, water, distribution networks. That criticality makes them high-value targets. Modern utilities juggle legacy controllers in remote sites, vendor remote access, and converged IT/OT networks; all of that increases exposure to cyber incidents that can halt operations, harm the environment, or endanger lives.
When one leading national utility came to Shieldworkz, their core problem was simple but dangerous: they didn’t fully know what they had, how exposed it was, or whether long-buried compromises were already present. Regulators and boards were pressing for demonstrable compliance and measurable risk reduction. Shieldworkz delivered an end-to-end program that moved the organization from reactive firefighting to predictable resilience.
About this case study
This case study describes Shieldworkz end-to-end engagement with a leading utility provider operating critical national infrastructure. The client needed to eliminate OT blind spots, satisfy regulatory expectations (including IEC 62443 and NIST CSF alignment), and remove any latent compromises-without disrupting continuous service. Shieldworkz delivered a multi-phased program that combined safe discovery, active threat hunting, architecture redesign, system hardening, and final validation.
Download this case study to see the step-by-step approach, measurable outcomes, and the board-ready evidence package that supported the utility’s shift from reactive to resilient security.
The challenge: blind spots, compliance pressure, and latent risk
The utility’s security team faced four urgent problems:
Limited visibility - many ICS devices and remote assets were unknown or poorly classified.
Regulatory uncertainty - leadership needed defensible proof of compliance against IEC 62443 and NIST CSF controls.
Fear of hidden compromise - executives worried that persistent threats might already exist inside the network.
Fragmented security ownership - overlapping point solutions and unclear governance hindered an effective lifecycle approach.
Each problem amplified the others. Without a single trusted program to discover, prioritize, and remediate, the client could neither prove compliance nor confidently lower operational risk.
Shieldworkz approach - a six-phase, safety-first program
Shieldworkz designed a pragmatic, low-disruption program that prioritized safety and business continuity:
Risk assessment & gap analysis - benchmarked controls against IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and maturity models to produce a prioritized roadmap.
Passive asset discovery & NDR deployment - safe, non-intrusive mapping of PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, engineering workstations and field networks to build a canonical inventory.
Vulnerability & compromise assessment - correlate assets to advisories and hunt for Indicators of Compromise (IoCs); surface dormant malware and risky outbound connections.
Policy and architecture overhaul - rework segmentation (Purdue model), vendor remote access controls, and change management processes.
System hardening & remediation - targeted hardening (least privilege, service reduction, application allow-listing) focused on engineering endpoints and servers.
Validation & handoff - final audit confirming remediations, control effectiveness, and compliance evidence for executive reporting.
This phased method minimized operational risk while delivering outcomes that leaders could measure and act upon.
Business impact - why leaders care
The utility’s leadership gained three tangible benefits:
Regulatory and stakeholder confidence - validated controls and clear reporting reduced audit friction.
Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact. Lowered operational risk - prioritized fixes targeted assets whose compromise would cause the greatest safety or production impact.
Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time. Improved incident readiness - faster detection and containment capability translates directly into lower potential outage costs and reduced recovery time.
Industry trend data confirms the value: organizations that shorten detection and containment see meaningful reductions in breach cost and operational impact. Rapid, OT-aware detection is an investment that pays off in both safety and balance-sheet terms.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility first: A living asset inventory is the foundation of any OT cybersecurity program.
Safe discovery: Start passive-only use active queries in approved maintenance windows.
Prioritize by business impact: Map technical gaps to downtime, safety, and regulatory exposure to secure funding.
Hunt proactively: Regular compromise assessments reveal threats that standard scanners miss.
Make remediation auditable: Tie fixes to tickets and validation evidence so leadership can see progress.
Ready to move from reactive to resilient?
If your organization operates distributed or remote OT assets and you need a program that delivers demonstrable risk reduction and compliance evidence, request Shieldworkz case study and schedule a free rapid assessment. We’ll show how a safety-first discovery and remediation program delivers measurable business value-and prepare a pilot plan tailored to your environment.
Fill out the form to download the full case study and claim a complimentary 30-minute discovery call with a Shieldworkz OT specialist.
Download your copy today!
