Attack Readiness

Can a nation-state actor
reach your industrial processes?

Full adversary simulation against your OT environment. From IT network entry to industrial control system impact. Detection and response capability tested throughout.

Request OT red teaming 24/7 Incident Hotline

What is OT red teaming?

You know your OT is connected to IT. You have security investments across both domains. You get a realistic test of whether a sophisticated adversary can navigate from your IT network through to your industrial control systems and what your detection and response capability actually looks like when it happens. OT red teaming uses the full attacker kill chain: reconnaissance, initial access, lateral movement through IT, crossing the IT/OT boundary, and demonstrating controlled impact on OT systems.

About this service

OT Red Teaming: the ultimate test of industrial security

Where an OT pentest identifies vulnerabilities, OT red teaming simulates a full, realistic attack on your industrial environment. The objective: demonstrating whether an advanced attacker, such as a state-sponsored actor or organised cybercriminal, can influence your operational processes.

The team operates as an advanced adversary. Starting from the IT network or even externally, a path is sought toward the OT environment. Every step in the cyber kill chain is executed: initial access, privilege escalation, lateral movement from IT to OT, and ultimately interaction with industrial control systems.

OT red teaming at DEFION is performed by a team with both offensive IT experience and OT domain knowledge. This is essential: attackers with only IT knowledge make mistakes in OT that cause operational disruption. The team understands how OT systems work and tests safely.

Why this matters

Three gaps that OT red teaming reveals

The IT/OT boundary is not a wall

Every integration point, historian connection, and remote access solution is a potential crossing. An experienced adversary finds these paths systematically. Most organisations have not tested whether their boundary actually holds under a determined attack.
Detection capability is untested in OT context

SOC teams trained for IT threats may not recognise OT-specific attacker behaviour. An unannounced red team exercise reveals actual detection timing, not assumed capability.
Response procedures break down under OT scenarios

Isolating an OT system during a production run has business consequences that do not apply in IT. Without tested escalation paths and decision frameworks for OT incidents, response is improvised under pressure.

What gets tested

Scope of OT red teaming

Full kill chain from external/IT to OT

IT/OT boundary penetration

Lateral movement within the OT network

SCADA, HMI, and PLC interaction (controlled)

Detection and response capability of SOC and OT team

Physical security (if in scope)

Social engineering (if in scope)

Methodology

How DEFION conducts OT red teaming

Scoping and objective

Defining the attack objective (e.g. access to a specific SCADA system), rules, constraints, and communication channels.

Reconnaissance

OSINT, network mapping, and identification of attack paths from the outside in.

Initial access

Exploiting external vulnerabilities, social engineering, or insider simulation to establish a foothold.

IT to OT lateral movement

Escalating privileges, bypassing the IT/OT boundary, moving through the OT network toward the objective.

OT interaction

Controlled demonstration of impact on OT systems, documented as evidence without disrupting production.

Reporting and debriefing

Comprehensive timeline, detection evaluation, and strategic recommendations for both IT and OT teams.

What you receive

Deliverables

Executive report with attack narrative and strategic implications
Technical report with full attack timeline
Detection and response evaluation (what was detected, what was not)
OT-specific risk assessment
Strategic recommendations for both IT and OT
Debriefing with management, IT, and OT

Target audience

Who is OT red teaming for?

OT red teaming is for organisations that have already invested in OT security and want to test whether those investments actually hold against a determined adversary.

Organisations with critical OT processes wanting to test resilience against advanced threats
Companies that need to demonstrate NIS2 compliance for essential services
Organisations investing in IT/OT security that want to validate effectiveness
Energy, water, transport, and manufacturing with high risk profiles

Frequently asked questions

FAQ

What is the difference between OT red teaming and an OT pentest?

An OT pentest focuses on finding vulnerabilities in the OT environment. OT red teaming simulates a full attack with a specific objective, tests the entire chain from IT to OT, and evaluates detection and response as well. Red teaming is scenario-driven; pentesting is coverage-driven.

How is operational safety guaranteed?

The team works with strict Rules of Engagement. Interaction with process-critical systems only occurs in a controlled and coordinated manner. There is always a direct communication channel with the OT team for emergencies.

Is our SOC/security team informed beforehand?

That depends on the objective. In an unannounced test, the SOC is not informed to realistically test detection capability. In an announced test, the team works together with the SOC. The approach is determined in advance.

How long does OT red teaming take?

Typically 3 to 6 weeks including reconnaissance, execution, and reporting. Timeline depends on scope, number of objectives, and environment complexity.

Can this be executed across multiple sites?

Yes. If your OT environment spans multiple locations, the red team can attempt to reach one site from another. This tests segmentation and security between sites.

OT Pentest

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Red Teaming

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Internal Pentest

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