OT Asset Management

What is OT Asset Management?

OT Asset Management is the systematic process of identifying, cataloguing and maintaining current information about all devices, systems and software operating in operational technology environments. This includes PLCs, HMI panels, engineering workstations, network switches, SCADA servers, IoT devices and control software.

Unlike IT environments where inventory can be conducted through active network scanning, aggressive discovery methods in OT networks can disrupt production devices. Therefore, passive methods are used - listening to network traffic, analysing industrial protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP) and integrating with existing configuration management systems.

Effective inventory goes beyond a device list to include firmware versions, installed patches, network configuration, communication relationships between devices and the criticality of each asset to the production process. This data forms the foundation for further activities - from vulnerability management to incident response planning.

Why does it matter?

You cannot protect what you do not know about. Many industrial organisations lack a complete and current OT asset inventory, making effective risk assessment and prioritisation of protective measures impossible. IEC 62443 requires asset inventory as a fundamental element of a security programme. Without it, vulnerability management, network segmentation and incident response are conducted blind.

Related topics

• OT security
• SCADA
• Vulnerability Management