ICS/OT & Critical Infrastructure Security Testing
Industrial Environments Require Operators Who Understand Them. Not Generalists With Scanners.
Industrial control systems, SCADA platforms, and operational technology environments were not built with adversaries in mind. The protocols are decades old, the devices were designed for availability not security, and the networks were air-gapped until they weren't. That combination makes OT environments some of the most vulnerable infrastructure in existence — and some of the most consequential to compromise.
Evaluris brings specialized offensive security expertise to operational technology environments. Our operators understand the protocols, the devices, the operational constraints, and the regulatory frameworks that govern critical infrastructure security. Every engagement is conducted under zero-disruption protocols built for environments where availability is not just a preference — it is a safety requirement.
Why OT Security Testing Requires Specialization
Running a standard network penetration test against an industrial environment is not just ineffective — it is dangerous. Nmap scans against PLCs can crash them. Automated vulnerability scanners can interrupt SCADA polling cycles and trigger process shutdowns. The same aggressive techniques that uncover vulnerabilities in enterprise IT environments can cause physical damage or safety incidents in OT.
Evaluris operators understand this. OT security testing requires a fundamentally different methodology: passive reconnaissance before active testing, deep protocol knowledge, device-specific safe testing parameters, and constant coordination with plant operators to ensure no operational impact occurs.
A successful OT security engagement should tell you exactly what an attacker could do to your environment — without doing it. Every technique we use is calibrated to test without disrupting.
Methodology
Passive OT Network Reconnaissance
Passive traffic capture and protocol analysis (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC-UA) without active scanning. Asset discovery through traffic observation. Network topology mapping through passive observation of broadcast traffic and communication patterns.
Architecture & Segmentation Review
OT/IT boundary analysis, DMZ configuration review, historian server connectivity assessment, remote access path identification (vendor VPN, jump servers, cellular modems), and purdue model compliance gap analysis.
Active Device Assessment (Safe Mode)
Controlled, device-specific vulnerability assessment using techniques validated against each device type. PLC and RTU firmware version analysis, default credential testing, engineering software (TIA Portal, Studio 5000, AVEVA) access control review, and HMI security assessment.
Protocol-Level Attack Simulation
Modbus read/write command abuse, DNP3 spoofing scenarios, OPC-UA authentication bypass, unauthorized engineering workstation simulation, and replay attack feasibility assessment against unencrypted protocol traffic.
IT/OT Boundary Crossing
Assessment of compromise paths from the IT network into the OT environment via historian servers, remote access systems, shared authentication infrastructure, and engineering workstations with dual connectivity.
Reporting & Remediation
Findings documented with OT-specific remediation guidance — acknowledging the patching constraints, legacy device limitations, and operational windows that govern what is actually achievable in industrial environments.
What We Test
- SCADA platforms and distributed control systems (DCS)
- Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) — Siemens S7, Allen-Bradley, Schneider Electric
- Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)
- Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs)
- Historian servers (OSIsoft PI, AVEVA Historian)
- OT network architecture and segmentation
- Industrial protocols (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC-UA)
- Engineering workstations and software platforms
- Remote access and vendor connectivity paths
- IT/OT convergence boundaries and DMZ configurations
Compliance Alignment
| Framework | Requirement |
|---|---|
| IEC 62443 | Industrial automation and control system security standards |
| NERC CIP | Critical infrastructure protection for energy sector |
| NIS2 Art. 21 | Critical infrastructure and essential services security obligations |
| UAE NESA | National electronic security authority critical infrastructure requirements |
| NIST SP 800-82 | Guide to ICS security |
| ISO 27001:2022 | Operational technology included in ISMS scope |
Deliverables
- OT Asset Inventory — discovered devices, protocols, firmware versions, and network topology
- Attack Path Report — IT-to-OT compromise paths, OT lateral movement routes, and process impact scenarios
- Protocol Vulnerability Assessment — identified weaknesses in industrial protocol implementations
- Segmentation Gap Report — OT/IT boundary weaknesses and DMZ configuration findings
- OT-Specific Remediation Roadmap — prioritized by exploitability, operational feasibility, and maintenance window alignment
- Executive Summary — board-ready critical infrastructure risk narrative
- Technical Report — full evidence, protocol captures, and fix recommendations
- Retest Window — post-remediation verification
Ready to scope this engagement?
Tell us about your environment, regulatory drivers, and timeline. We will align methodology, scope, and evidence requirements before testing begins.