A practical OT security playbook that aligns frameworks with plant realities.
Smart factories connect machines, sensors and cloud apps which expands the attack surface. Start by mapping what you must protect and how each risk could stop production. Identify critical assets like PLC programs, recipes, quality records and ERP transactions. Document who has access and from where. Then anchor your approach to frameworks written for operational technology. NIST’s Guide to OT Security provides clear guidance for network architecture, asset management, and access control so teams can build a plan that fits the plant.
Use the framework to set outcomes, not only tools. For example, you need accurate asset inventories before you can monitor effectively. You need defined network zones before you can enforce least privilege. Score your current state by outcome and close the worst gaps first. Involve operations early so safeguards work with takt time and shift patterns. A practical, shared map of risk gets everyone focused on uptime and safety.
Layered defenses turn a single mistake into a contained event. Start with identity and access. Require MFA for remote access, role based permissions in ERP and shop systems and strong vendor access controls. Segment networks so OT and IT traffic stay separate with monitored conduits between zones. Harden endpoints like engineering workstations and HMIs with patching, allow lists and secure boot. Centralize logs and alerts so you can see unusual behavior fast. Backups should be immutable, tested and aligned to recovery targets that match production risk. Check out the CISA ICS Best Practices for concise guidance that you can share with plant leaders. Pair those practices with the ISA/IEC 62443 standard which outlines roles, security levels and program requirements for industrial environments. A good overview is available at ISA/IEC 62443 Overview. Build simple playbooks for common tasks like vendor access, new cell deployment and patch windows so controls stay consistent.
Incidents happen, so practice your response. Define severity levels and who decides when to stop a line or isolate a cell. Run tabletop exercises for realistic scenarios like ransomware on an engineering laptop or a compromised vendor VPN. Verify you can run in a degraded mode while systems are restored. Keep paper travelers, local machine programs, and manual ship paperwork ready. After each exercise or event, close gaps and update playbooks.
Track time to detect and time to recover as KPIs that leaders review weekly. Align cyber plans with safety so people know how to react without risk. For accessible summaries your team can reference, see CISA’s printable guidance at ICS Cybersecurity Best Practices (PDF). If you want help building a plan that fits your plant and your ERP, our team combines manufacturing ERP expertise with managed security so you can modernize with confidence. Contact us for a practical discussion about your environment.