Energy and Utilities
Energy and utilities operators run infrastructure where downtime is measured in real economic and public safety cost. Attacks on the sector are documented annually in public incident reports, ranging from ransomware on pipelines to targeted operations against grid operators. We design defense for energy clients around both regulatory frameworks like NERC CIP and the real threat picture from sector specific adversaries.
Sector specific challenges
OT and ICS protection without halting operations
Industrial control systems were never designed for security. Adding controls without breaking production requires deep understanding of the protocols and the operational realities. We work in change windows and rely on passive monitoring for the most sensitive segments.
Ransomware readiness with operational consequences
Ransomware in energy is not a hypothetical. Recovery requires tested immutable backups, segmentation that actually contains, and rehearsed playbooks. Tabletop exercises walking through a specific operator scenario are part of readiness, not a checkbox.
Regulatory and standards alignment
NERC CIP, IEC 62443, IEC 61850 — multiple overlapping frameworks govern the sector. We build a unified compliance model so documentation work serves multiple audits at once.
Our approach
Engagements begin with OT and ICS inventory, Purdue model segmentation review, and ransomware readiness assessment. We then layer specialized OT monitoring, EDR for the corporate side, and an IR retainer prepared for OT incident scenarios. All OT work is sequenced into operator change windows.
Recommended services
Managed Detection and Response
SOC that takes action, not just sends alerts.
→Security Audit and Risk Assessment
An honest picture of where your defenses really stand.
→OT and Industrial Control Security
Securing OT and ICS without stopping production.
→Hardware and Embedded Security
Security review of IoT, embedded firmware, and hardware products.
→Ransomware Readiness
Validated readiness against modern ransomware operators.
→Incident Response Retainer
Pre arranged IR capacity for when an incident actually hits.
→Standards and regulators
Frequently asked questions
Can you assess OT without stopping production?
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Yes. We use passive monitoring for the most sensitive segments and active techniques only in safe zones, with each step coordinated with the operations team and scheduled in planned maintenance windows.
How does IEC 62443 relate to NERC CIP?
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They overlap but address different layers. IEC 62443 is technical and applies broadly to industrial automation; NERC CIP is sector specific to bulk electric in North America. We map controls to both so a single program serves both audits.