The Ultimate OT Asset Inventory Checklist for 2025
Gain Visibility. Secure Your Assets. Strengthen Your OT Cybersecurity Posture.
Industrial organizations are under siege from increasingly advanced cyber threats. From ransomware attacks on PLCs to unauthorized access via IoT devices, the threat landscape has evolved, and so must your defenses. The foundation of effective OT/ICS cybersecurity in 2025 starts with one core capability: real-time, accurate OT asset visibility.
At Shieldworkz, we’ve developed The Ultimate OT Asset Inventory Checklist, designed specifically for CISOs, plant managers, and industrial cybersecurity professionals. This free, actionable guide will help you identify, organize, and secure every asset in your OT network, laying the groundwork for compliance, threat detection, and operational resilience.
Why OT Asset Inventory Is a Non-Negotiable in 2025
Industrial environments, from manufacturing floors and oil rigs to substations and water treatment plants, are home to thousands of assets: PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, legacy Windows machines, switches, and now, smart sensors and IoT gateways. Many of these devices were never designed with cybersecurity in mind. As a result, they often operate with weak authentication, no encryption, and minimal logging.
According to recent data from the U.S. CISA and ENISA, over 75% of cyber incidents in critical infrastructure begin with an unknown or unmanaged asset. Blind spots in your OT network are not just gaps, they are direct entry points for threat actors.
An accurate OT asset inventory is your first and strongest line of defense. It supports:
Proactive vulnerability management
Segmentation and zero trust architecture
Faster incident response and recovery
Regulatory compliance (NERC CIP, IEC 62443, NIS2, etc.)
About the OT Asset Inventory Checklist
Published in June 2025, this checklist is tailored for leaders in industrial automation, operational technology, and critical infrastructure security. The guide distills years of field experience and cybersecurity frameworks into a step-by-step approach for building and maintaining an OT asset inventory that goes beyond spreadsheets and outdated CMDBs.
The checklist includes:
Essential asset attributes to capture
Asset discovery and identification methods
Guidance on passive vs active scanning for OT
Lifecycle management and update tracking
Tools integration (SIEM, CMMS, SCADA, etc.)
Why You Should Download This Checklist
In an environment where downtime costs millions and safety is non-negotiable, knowing what assets you have, and their current state, is mission critical.
Tailored for Industrial Operations: Built specifically for OT/ICS environments, not adapted from IT checklists. Includes considerations for protocol-specific devices (Modbus, DNP3, OPC-UA), embedded systems, and legacy infrastructure.
Compliance-Ready Guidance: Aligns with global standards such as IEC 62443, NIST CSF, NERC CIP, and ISA/IEC TR 62443-3-2, helping you prepare for audits and avoid regulatory penalties.
Enables Cyber Resilience: Inventory is more than documentation, it’s a living foundation for network monitoring, threat detection, and incident containment strategies.
Reduces Risk Across the Board: By continuously mapping your assets and tracking changes, the checklist helps you reduce the risk of rogue devices, unauthorized firmware updates, and shadow IT deployments.
Key Takeaways from the Checklist
Comprehensive Asset Discovery: Learn how to use both passive and active techniques to safely identify all devices in your OT network without disrupting operations.
Classification and Risk Contextualization: Group assets by criticality, function, and exposure level to support prioritization and incident response.
Security Attribute Mapping: Track OS versions, firmware levels, open ports, and user accounts to identify outdated, vulnerable, or misconfigured systems.
Change Monitoring & Baselines: Establish asset behavior baselines and detect unauthorized changes using asset-centric anomaly detection strategies.
Integration with Broader Security Architecture: Understand how OT asset inventory ties into your SIEM, SOC, and SOAR workflows, and supports automated detection and response.
Secure Your Industrial Operations with Shieldworkz
At Shieldworkz, we work exclusively with OT, ICS, and industrial IoT environments. Our mission is to secure the physical world by protecting the digital systems that run it. With this checklist, we’re equipping you with the same foundational tools we use in real-world engagements, from substations to refinery floors.
Download the Ultimate OT Asset Inventory Checklist Now
Take the first step toward visibility, control, and security.
Fill out the form below to receive your free copy of The Ultimate OT Asset Inventory Checklist and start building a resilient OT security foundation today.