Case Study
OT-ICS Security Assessment
and Penetration Testing
Production-Safe OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing
Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems power critical services - from generation and transmission to pipelines and process plants. But legacy controllers, remote field sites, vendor access, and converged networks create blind spots that traditional IT testing can’t safely uncover. Shieldworkz delivers a production-safe OT-ICS Security Assessment and targeted Penetration Testing program that reveals real risk, prioritizes fixes that protect uptime and safety, and produces the executive evidence you need to fund remediation.
Why This Case Study Matters - the real problem we solve
Most organizations treat OT security like an IT checkbox exercise. In practice, OT environments are fragile, heterogeneous, and mission critical. The hard realities we address are:
Unknown inventory: Devices and firmware versions are often undocumented across substations and remote sites.
Hidden exposures: Weak vendor access, misconfigurations, and legacy protocols open silent paths for attackers.
Danger of disruptive testing: Aggressive scanning can crash controllers - assessments must be safe by design.
Board and regulatory pressure: Leaders need measurable evidence of risk reduction, not technical lists.
Shieldworkz approach turns uncertainty into an auditable program: safe discovery, targeted testing in controlled windows, business-prioritized remediation, and validated proof of compliance and resilience.
What the case study includes
Our methodology is built around preserving operations while delivering outcomes that matter to both engineers and executives.
Discovery (Passive & Safe): Conducted non-intrusive network observation to identify and verify OT assets (PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, gateways, etc.) and map communication protocols like Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA.
Vulnerability & Exposure Mapping: Analyzed asset risks, insecure access points, default credentials, and configuration gaps.
Controlled Penetration Testing: Performed safe, protocol-aware tests during maintenance windows to simulate real-world attack scenarios.
Remediation & Hardening: Proposed low-impact fixes, micro-segmentation, least privilege, and secure vendor access.
Validation & Reporting: Verified mitigations and delivered an executive-ready report with risk insights, validation results, and KPIs.
Why it’s important to download the case study
When you download Shieldworkz assessment overview and case study you’ll get more than marketing slides - you’ll receive:
A tested assessment blueprint you can adapt immediately to your plant or network.
Real remediation playbooks that operations teams can execute without stopping production.
Examples of latent compromises and how they were neutralized - not hypotheticals, but operational lessons.
A template executive brief you can use to secure budget and board approval.
If your role includes defending uptime, protecting safety, or demonstrating compliance, this download saves you weeks of internal analysis and gives you a practical path to measurable results.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility is the control plane: A reliable, continuously updated inventory changes everything - from patching to incident response.
Start passive, prove safe, then test: Passive discovery uncovers the majority of blind spots; active tests must be surgical and scheduled.
Prioritize by impact, not noise: Fix the assets that will cause the biggest production or safety loss first - that’s how you get funding.
Hardening yields rapid ROI: Simple measures on workstations and management servers (least privilege, whitelisting, disabled services) reduce common attack vectors instantly.
Hunt to find the hidden: Periodic compromise assessments reveal dormant threats that automated scans miss.
Make remediation auditable: Link each fix to a ticket, validation evidence and executive summary to close the loop with regulators and the board.
How Shieldworkz supports your OT security lifecycle
Shieldworkz serves as an operational partner rather than just a compliance vendor. Our approach is built around real-world OT expertise, with practitioners who deeply understand controllers, DCS, and SCADA systems and can effectively collaborate with operations teams. We use production-safe tools for passive discovery and OT-aware detection that prevent system disruption. Our tailored playbooks address the specific needs of industries like energy, water, manufacturing, and transportation. Beyond identifying risks, we assist in implementing and validating fixes while providing clear evidence reports. Through continuous monitoring, periodic testing, and maturity planning, we help organizations enhance safety, resilience, and long-term operational continuity.
Ready to uncover blind spots and prove resilience?
Blindspots in OT aren’t theoretical - they are operational risk. Shieldworkz OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing program gives you production-safe discovery, evidence-based testing, and a prioritized remediation path that preserves uptime and protects safety.
Fill out the form to request a scoping call and receive a complimentary executive brief template plus a tailored plan for a production-safe rapid assessment.
Download your copy today!
Production-Safe OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing
Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems power critical services - from generation and transmission to pipelines and process plants. But legacy controllers, remote field sites, vendor access, and converged networks create blind spots that traditional IT testing can’t safely uncover. Shieldworkz delivers a production-safe OT-ICS Security Assessment and targeted Penetration Testing program that reveals real risk, prioritizes fixes that protect uptime and safety, and produces the executive evidence you need to fund remediation.
Why This Case Study Matters - the real problem we solve
Most organizations treat OT security like an IT checkbox exercise. In practice, OT environments are fragile, heterogeneous, and mission critical. The hard realities we address are:
Unknown inventory: Devices and firmware versions are often undocumented across substations and remote sites.
Hidden exposures: Weak vendor access, misconfigurations, and legacy protocols open silent paths for attackers.
Danger of disruptive testing: Aggressive scanning can crash controllers - assessments must be safe by design.
Board and regulatory pressure: Leaders need measurable evidence of risk reduction, not technical lists.
Shieldworkz approach turns uncertainty into an auditable program: safe discovery, targeted testing in controlled windows, business-prioritized remediation, and validated proof of compliance and resilience.
What the case study includes
Our methodology is built around preserving operations while delivering outcomes that matter to both engineers and executives.
Discovery (Passive & Safe): Conducted non-intrusive network observation to identify and verify OT assets (PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, gateways, etc.) and map communication protocols like Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA.
Vulnerability & Exposure Mapping: Analyzed asset risks, insecure access points, default credentials, and configuration gaps.
Controlled Penetration Testing: Performed safe, protocol-aware tests during maintenance windows to simulate real-world attack scenarios.
Remediation & Hardening: Proposed low-impact fixes, micro-segmentation, least privilege, and secure vendor access.
Validation & Reporting: Verified mitigations and delivered an executive-ready report with risk insights, validation results, and KPIs.
Why it’s important to download the case study
When you download Shieldworkz assessment overview and case study you’ll get more than marketing slides - you’ll receive:
A tested assessment blueprint you can adapt immediately to your plant or network.
Real remediation playbooks that operations teams can execute without stopping production.
Examples of latent compromises and how they were neutralized - not hypotheticals, but operational lessons.
A template executive brief you can use to secure budget and board approval.
If your role includes defending uptime, protecting safety, or demonstrating compliance, this download saves you weeks of internal analysis and gives you a practical path to measurable results.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility is the control plane: A reliable, continuously updated inventory changes everything - from patching to incident response.
Start passive, prove safe, then test: Passive discovery uncovers the majority of blind spots; active tests must be surgical and scheduled.
Prioritize by impact, not noise: Fix the assets that will cause the biggest production or safety loss first - that’s how you get funding.
Hardening yields rapid ROI: Simple measures on workstations and management servers (least privilege, whitelisting, disabled services) reduce common attack vectors instantly.
Hunt to find the hidden: Periodic compromise assessments reveal dormant threats that automated scans miss.
Make remediation auditable: Link each fix to a ticket, validation evidence and executive summary to close the loop with regulators and the board.
How Shieldworkz supports your OT security lifecycle
Shieldworkz serves as an operational partner rather than just a compliance vendor. Our approach is built around real-world OT expertise, with practitioners who deeply understand controllers, DCS, and SCADA systems and can effectively collaborate with operations teams. We use production-safe tools for passive discovery and OT-aware detection that prevent system disruption. Our tailored playbooks address the specific needs of industries like energy, water, manufacturing, and transportation. Beyond identifying risks, we assist in implementing and validating fixes while providing clear evidence reports. Through continuous monitoring, periodic testing, and maturity planning, we help organizations enhance safety, resilience, and long-term operational continuity.
Ready to uncover blind spots and prove resilience?
Blindspots in OT aren’t theoretical - they are operational risk. Shieldworkz OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing program gives you production-safe discovery, evidence-based testing, and a prioritized remediation path that preserves uptime and protects safety.
Fill out the form to request a scoping call and receive a complimentary executive brief template plus a tailored plan for a production-safe rapid assessment.
Download your copy today!
Production-Safe OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing
Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems power critical services - from generation and transmission to pipelines and process plants. But legacy controllers, remote field sites, vendor access, and converged networks create blind spots that traditional IT testing can’t safely uncover. Shieldworkz delivers a production-safe OT-ICS Security Assessment and targeted Penetration Testing program that reveals real risk, prioritizes fixes that protect uptime and safety, and produces the executive evidence you need to fund remediation.
Why This Case Study Matters - the real problem we solve
Most organizations treat OT security like an IT checkbox exercise. In practice, OT environments are fragile, heterogeneous, and mission critical. The hard realities we address are:
Unknown inventory: Devices and firmware versions are often undocumented across substations and remote sites.
Hidden exposures: Weak vendor access, misconfigurations, and legacy protocols open silent paths for attackers.
Danger of disruptive testing: Aggressive scanning can crash controllers - assessments must be safe by design.
Board and regulatory pressure: Leaders need measurable evidence of risk reduction, not technical lists.
Shieldworkz approach turns uncertainty into an auditable program: safe discovery, targeted testing in controlled windows, business-prioritized remediation, and validated proof of compliance and resilience.
What the case study includes
Our methodology is built around preserving operations while delivering outcomes that matter to both engineers and executives.
Discovery (Passive & Safe): Conducted non-intrusive network observation to identify and verify OT assets (PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, gateways, etc.) and map communication protocols like Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA.
Vulnerability & Exposure Mapping: Analyzed asset risks, insecure access points, default credentials, and configuration gaps.
Controlled Penetration Testing: Performed safe, protocol-aware tests during maintenance windows to simulate real-world attack scenarios.
Remediation & Hardening: Proposed low-impact fixes, micro-segmentation, least privilege, and secure vendor access.
Validation & Reporting: Verified mitigations and delivered an executive-ready report with risk insights, validation results, and KPIs.
Why it’s important to download the case study
When you download Shieldworkz assessment overview and case study you’ll get more than marketing slides - you’ll receive:
A tested assessment blueprint you can adapt immediately to your plant or network.
Real remediation playbooks that operations teams can execute without stopping production.
Examples of latent compromises and how they were neutralized - not hypotheticals, but operational lessons.
A template executive brief you can use to secure budget and board approval.
If your role includes defending uptime, protecting safety, or demonstrating compliance, this download saves you weeks of internal analysis and gives you a practical path to measurable results.
Key takeaways from the case study
Visibility is the control plane: A reliable, continuously updated inventory changes everything - from patching to incident response.
Start passive, prove safe, then test: Passive discovery uncovers the majority of blind spots; active tests must be surgical and scheduled.
Prioritize by impact, not noise: Fix the assets that will cause the biggest production or safety loss first - that’s how you get funding.
Hardening yields rapid ROI: Simple measures on workstations and management servers (least privilege, whitelisting, disabled services) reduce common attack vectors instantly.
Hunt to find the hidden: Periodic compromise assessments reveal dormant threats that automated scans miss.
Make remediation auditable: Link each fix to a ticket, validation evidence and executive summary to close the loop with regulators and the board.
How Shieldworkz supports your OT security lifecycle
Shieldworkz serves as an operational partner rather than just a compliance vendor. Our approach is built around real-world OT expertise, with practitioners who deeply understand controllers, DCS, and SCADA systems and can effectively collaborate with operations teams. We use production-safe tools for passive discovery and OT-aware detection that prevent system disruption. Our tailored playbooks address the specific needs of industries like energy, water, manufacturing, and transportation. Beyond identifying risks, we assist in implementing and validating fixes while providing clear evidence reports. Through continuous monitoring, periodic testing, and maturity planning, we help organizations enhance safety, resilience, and long-term operational continuity.
Ready to uncover blind spots and prove resilience?
Blindspots in OT aren’t theoretical - they are operational risk. Shieldworkz OT-ICS Security Assessment & Penetration Testing program gives you production-safe discovery, evidence-based testing, and a prioritized remediation path that preserves uptime and protects safety.
Fill out the form to request a scoping call and receive a complimentary executive brief template plus a tailored plan for a production-safe rapid assessment.
Download your copy today!
