Protecting Critical Infrastructure

Service Overview

Operational Technology (OT) environments, including SCADA, ICS, and industrial systems, are increasingly interconnected with IT networks, exposing them to new threats that were once isolated. Adversaries targeting critical infrastructure seek to exploit this convergence, breaching IT environments to pivot into OT systems with the goal of disrupting or manipulating industrial processes.

SilentGrid’s OT/ICS Adversary Simulation replicates these attack paths, testing how effectively your organisation’s segmentation, monitoring, and response capabilities prevent adversaries from bridging into OT environments. Our engagements uncover segmentation weaknesses, misconfigured firewalls, and insufficient network controls that expose OT to external compromise.

Why OT/ICS Security Matters

IT-OT Convergence Increases Risk

Traditionally isolated OT systems are now integrated with IT networks to enable efficiency, automation, and remote monitoring. This creates new attack surfaces for adversaries capable of pivoting from the IT side.

• Critical Risks – Breaches in OT environments can lead to production halts, physical damage, and even safety incidents.
• Ransomware Targeting – OT environments are increasingly targeted by ransomware groups aiming to halt operations for financial gain.
• Nation-State Actors – State-sponsored adversaries seek to disrupt infrastructure by manipulating ICS protocols and gaining deep persistence in OT environments.

SilentGrid’s Approach

SilentGrid’s ICS/OT attack simulations reflect the tactics of advanced persistent threats (APTs), ransomware actors, and insider threats. Our engagements expose the real-world attack paths adversaries use to move from corporate IT networks into industrial environments.

Key Engagement Objectives

• Identify IT-to-OT Pivoting Paths
• Simulate Attacks on SCADA Systems, PLCs, and Field Devices
• Test Segmentation Controls and Firewalls
• Assess Incident Response Readiness for OT-specific attacks

OT Adversary Simulation Methodology

SilentGrid employs a structured adversarial engagement that mirrors the lifecycle of real-world OT-focused attacks.

1. Reconnaissance and Target Profiling

• Map the IT-OT boundary and identify points where corporate IT systems interact with industrial networks.
• Perform open-source intelligence (OSINT) and network enumeration to locate exposed remote access solutions, HMIs, and ICS interfaces.

2. Initial Compromise (IT Environment)

• Simulate initial IT compromise through phishing, credential theft, or endpoint exploitation.
• Establish footholds in IT environments with the goal of reaching ICS assets.

3. Lateral Movement to OT Networks

• Attempt to bypass segmentation controls through dual-homed devices, misconfigured firewalls, and unrestricted protocols.
• Simulate adversaries leveraging RDP, SSH, SMB, and industrial protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3, or OPC UA) to move laterally.

4. Persistence and Control Escalation (Controlled)

• Deploy custom built ICS-focused malware or simulate implanting rogue scripts to maintain persistence in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and control systems.
• Attempt to modify ladder logic, SCADA parameters, or issue rogue actuator commands in testing environments.

5. Critical Impact and Safety Testing (Controlled)

• Simulate the manipulation of critical assets without disrupting live operations.
• Validate that safety instrumentation systems (SIS) and fail-safes engage properly when malicious actions are attempted.

Deliverables and Reporting

SilentGrid delivers comprehensive reports that offer both technical depth and strategic insights for protecting industrial environments.

You will receive:

• Attack Path Documentation – A full breakdown of how adversaries moved from IT to OT.
• OT Segmentation Analysis – Identification of firewall misconfigurations, dual-homed devices, and network paths connecting IT and OT.
• Critical Vulnerability Report – Highlighting ICS-specific misconfigurations, insecure protocols, and device-level weaknesses.
• Incident Response Evaluation – Assessing your team’s ability to detect and contain attacks targeting OT environments.
• Executive Summary – High-level reporting for leadership focused on business risk, safety, and operational resilience.

Key Benefits of OT Adversary Simulation

• Identify IT-to-OT Segmentation Gaps
  Test the effectiveness of firewalls, VLANs, and segmentation rules separating corporate and industrial environments.

• Expose Dual-Homed Devices
  Discover insecure engineering laptops, remote access solutions, and devices that bridge networks.

• Validate Incident Response for OT Attacks
  Evaluate your organisation’s ability to detect, respond to, and contain adversaries targeting OT systems.

• Protect Critical Operations
  Ensure industrial processes, production systems, and safety mechanisms are resilient against external compromise.

Is OT Adversary Simulation Right for You?

This service is ideal for organisations that:

• Operate ICS, SCADA, or industrial networks managing critical infrastructure.
• Have IT-OT converged environments but lack visibility into lateral movement risks.
• Need to assess firewall and segmentation controls at the IT-OT boundary.
• Are concerned about nation-state threats or targeted ransomware disrupting operations.

Get Started with OT/ICS Simulation

SilentGrid helps secure industrial networks against adversaries targeting critical infrastructure.
Contact Us to schedule an OT/ICS Adversary Simulation and enhance your resilience against industrial threats.