Use Case
Complete Visibility of Legacy PLCs and Industrial Assets
Industry: USE CASE | MANUFACTURING
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Building Complete Visibility Across Manufacturing OT Environments
One plant on paper. Three plants worth of network underneath.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer running tablet compression, coating, and liquid filling lines across two connected buildings engaged Shieldworkz after realizing its OT asset inventory predated two plant acquisitions.
The engagement built an accurate, current picture of every legacy PLC and network device without disrupting validated production systems.
Value proposition: Build an accurate, current inventory of every PLC, HMI, and network device across connected manufacturing environments without touching validated systems or interrupting batch production.
Manufacturing OT Security Challenges
Manufacturing plants that grow through acquisition often inherit more network infrastructure than anyone documented. Each new production line can bring its own switches, PLC vendor, and network history, making it difficult for plant engineering teams to know exactly what is connected.
No Current Inventory
The last full asset list was three years old and predated a plant acquisition.
Unknown Network Paths
Two acquired production lines were connected to the network without updated documentation.
Regulatory Deadline
A NIST CSF alignment review required asset-level evidence that the plant could not produce.
Turnover Risk
Engineers who understood the original network design had since left the company.
Validation Constraints
GxP validation rules meant systems could not be actively scanned or touched.
Understanding the Manufacturing OT Asset Visibility Risk Landscape
The pharmaceutical manufacturer had expanded its manufacturing environment through acquisitions, but its existing OT asset inventory had not kept pace.
The previous inventory was already three years old and did not include the acquired plant infrastructure. As a result, two acquired lines had been connected to the network without updated documentation.
At the same time, engineers who understood the original network design had left the organization, creating additional knowledge and documentation gaps.
The site's GxP validation requirements also meant that traditional active scanning could not be used because systems could not be actively scanned or touched.
This created a need for a method that could provide accurate asset visibility while respecting validated production boundaries.
Shieldworkz addressed this through passive asset discovery, asset classification, network mapping, protocol documentation, vulnerability review, risk prioritization, compliance mapping, governance handover, segmentation planning, and monitoring recommendations.
Common Cyber and Operational Risks Affecting Manufacturing
Legacy PLCs and network devices missing from the existing asset inventory
Network paths from acquired production lines not documented
Asset records that predated plant acquisitions
Unsupported operating systems and firmware across legacy systems
Limited visibility into what devices are actually connected
Loss of network knowledge following engineering staff turnover
Inability to perform active scanning because of GxP validation requirements
How Shieldworkz Solves Manufacturing OT Asset Visibility Challenges
Shieldworkz delivers an end-to-end OT program covering discovery, classification, mapping, prioritization, and governance.
Passive Asset Discovery
Switch-level sensors identify devices without querying controllers directly.
Asset Classification
Devices are cross-checked against validation records to confirm what each asset controls
Network Mapping
Undocumented paths from both acquired production lines are traced and documented into one architecture diagram.
Protocol Documentation
Modbus RTU, OPC UA, and PROFINET traffic are mapped to the historian.
Vulnerability Review
Unsupported operating systems and firmware are identified without active scanning.
Risk Prioritization
Legacy systems are ranked according to exposure and process criticality, rather than age alone.
Compliance Mapping
Findings are mapped against NIST CSF to address the audit gaps.
End-to-End Manufacturing OT Asset Visibility Capabilities
Complete OT Asset Discovery
Visibility into PLCs, HMIs, network devices, and other industrial assets across both connected buildings.
Passive Network Visibility
Switch-level sensors identify devices without directly querying controllers.
Asset Classification
Industrial assets are cross-checked against qualification and validation records.
Network Architecture Mapping
Previously undocumented network paths are documented into a unified architecture view.
Industrial Protocol Visibility
Modbus RTU, OPC UA, and PROFINET traffic are mapped to the historian.
Legacy System Assessment
Unsupported operating systems and firmware are identified without active scanning.
Risk-Based Prioritization
Legacy and unsupported systems are ranked by exposure and process criticality.
The Business Value of Complete OT Asset Visibility
Complete Asset Visibility
More than 500 industrial assets were identified across two connected buildings, with most absent from the previous inventory.
Previously Unknown Assets Identified
Approximately 40% of discovered devices had no prior documentation connecting them to plant records.
Unified Network Architecture
A complete network architecture diagram was produced covering paths added during both plant acquisitions.
Improved Compliance Readiness
NIST CSF asset-management gaps were closed ahead of the compliance review.
Risk-Based Replacement Planning
Legacy and unsupported systems were ranked and handed to plant engineering for phased replacement planning.
Secure Your Manufacturing OT Environment
Your OT asset inventory should reflect what is actually connected — not what was documented years ago.
Discover every PLC, HMI, and network device. Map undocumented network paths. Identify legacy and unsupported systems while respecting GxP validation boundaries.
Talk to Shieldworkz OT Security Experts about building complete visibility across your manufacturing OT environment.
Schedule Your Free OT Security Consultation
Get the Full Manufacturing OT Asset Visibility Use Case
Understand how Shieldworkz helped a pharmaceutical manufacturer identify 500+ industrial assets, uncover previously undocumented devices, document network paths added through plant acquisitions, close NIST CSF asset-management gaps, and establish a baseline for future continuous monitoring.
Book Your Consultation Today!
Build an accurate, current view of your industrial assets without disrupting validated production systems. Book your OT security consultation today.
