Performing OT Vulnerability Scanning Safely

When to Use

• When conducting vulnerability assessments in OT environments with legacy controllers
• When implementing continuous vulnerability monitoring without impacting process availability
• When preparing for IEC 62443 or NERC CIP compliance audits requiring vulnerability data
• When evaluating risk-based patching priorities for OT assets
• When validating that compensating controls protect unpatched ICS devices

Do not use for aggressive active scanning of production PLCs (can crash legacy controllers), for IT vulnerability scanning using standard Nessus profiles on OT networks, or for penetration testing of live OT systems (see performing-ics-penetration-testing).

Prerequisites

• Tenable OT Security (formerly Tenable.ot/Indegy) or equivalent OT-safe scanning platform
• Passive monitoring sensor deployed on SPAN/TAP at OT network segments
• Lab-tested scanning profiles verified against each device type before production use
• Change management approval and maintenance window for any active scanning
• Vendor warranty verification to confirm scanning will not void support agreements