What is OT/ICS Vulnerability Management?
Vulnerability management is the business process of identifying, evaluating, treating and monitoring/reporting on software insecurities and misconfigurations of endpoints.
In OT cyber security, vulnerability management includes the following functions:
- Assessing assets for known vulnerabilities
- Prioritizing those vulnerabilities based on risk and impact
- Remediating vulnerabilities through patching, configuration management or deployment of compensating controls
While some vulnerability assessment is important, management frameworks simplify the discovery components into a single step. The overall goal is to close the loop and accelerate vulnerability remediation to reduce risk.
OT/ICS vulnerability management is often a complex, manual effort with many hand-offs and systems used. The sensitivity of many devices found in OT/ICS networks means that traditional IT vulnerability scanner solutions are not tenable. Automated patch management tools put operations at risk if deployed at the wrong time or on the wrong systems.
Operators are often left with partial views and manual processes. What is needed is a closed-loop, automated solution that is built for the sensitivity of OT/ICS systems. The handoff from vulnerability assessment to patching and treatment typically contains procedural gaps in ownership and technology, leaving 10-20% of devices unpatched. Prioritizing which vulnerabilities are most critical is where Verve steps in.
The Verve Security Center provides just this kind of solution. Verve Industrial Protection’s vulnerability management program provides real-time insight into vulnerabilities updates and patch releases. In addition to CVSS and CVE scores, automated risk scoring is attributed to focus your efforts on prioritized remediation.
A faster approach to vulnerability management
Verve’s closed-loop vulnerability management solution prioritizes risks and significantly reduces time and cost of remediation
Deeper VisibilityVerve captures all software, users/accounts, configurations, etc. for deepest view of vulnerabilities
Broader VisibilityVerve’s agent-agentless technology enables visibility down into segmented networks and through backplanes
Fast and Low CostNo need for hardware deployment or manual inventory capture
Sensitive Vulnerability DiscoveryAgent-agentless solution eliminates need for risky scanning
Complete OT/ICS Device CoverageTool built to capture risks in embedded devices across all OEM vendors
Comprehensive Risk AssessmentVisibility to all CVEs but also configuration, user/account, network design, and compensating controls.
Risk Score CalculationProprietary, customizable tool to score assets based on CVSS score, criticality of an asset, impact and exposure of potential exploitation, compensating controls, etc.
Prioritize Vulnerabilities to PatchAsset inventories, vulnerabilities and remediation update in real-time so querying an asset base is instantaneously refreshed with relevant data
Closed-Loop RemediationTake action to remediate vulnerabilities from the same place you identify them with the only closed-loop OT/ICS cyber security solution on the market
Demonstrate Progress QuicklyReal-time reporting enables risk measurement on an hourly or daily basis for faster time-to-remediation
- Reduce Operational Cost
Reduce need for manual patching and remediation as well as process costs of handovers between tools
Improved Remediation CertaintyEliminate the gaps that often exist between databases and toolsets
Analyze Data GloballyConsolidate information into a central analysis database to prioritize vulnerabilities and remediation
Develop Centralized PlaybooksCreate actionable playbooks by skilled practitioners and distribute to local sites that empower remediation
Take Actions LocallyLocal plant personnel ensure patches are deployed once they’re tested and approved
- Reduce Cost
Cut down on manual labor and use software to instantly identify unpatched assets at risk
Save TimeIdentify targeted assets, safely deploy patches, oversee operations and confirm success within hours
OT Vulnerability Management Case Studies
Vulnerability management in OT cyber security begins with a robust asset inventory. In order to gain visibility and improve vulnerability mitigation, you need a complete view of software, network, access control, and endpoint vulnerabilities in a single platform. A 360-degree asset analysis aggregates a full view of the environment to prioritize vulnerabilities for rapid risk remediation.