Secure industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA, and IoT/edge estates with a vendor‑neutral partner. SafeCipher integrates Zero Trust, the Purdue Model, micro‑segmentation, industrial XDR/EDR, OT asset inventory, and cryptographic key management—with a practical post‑quantum (PQC) roadmap.
Why SafeCipher for IoT/OT Security (Zero Trust Outcomes)
- Reduced lateral movement with zones/conduits, mTLS, and policy gates
- Higher uptime via passive monitoring for fragile devices and change control
- Audit‑ready evidence for IEC 62443, NIST SP 800‑82, ISO/IEC 27001
- Crypto‑governed identities (PKI, HSM, code signing, secure boot)
OT/IT Convergence & Zero Trust (Continuous Verification at Scale)
As isolated OT networks connect to IT/cloud to drive efficiency, the attack surface grows. Our Zero Trust model assumes no implicit trust, continuously verifying identity, device posture, and context from PLCs/RTUs to edge gateways and cloud.
- Identity & Access Controls (IAM): strong user/service/machine identity; RBAC/ABAC, JIT access, least privilege across OT & IT.
- Segmentation & Micro‑Segmentation: Purdue‑aligned zones/conduits, VLAN/VRF, software‑defined perimeters, east‑west policy to stop lateral movement.
- Industrial EDR/XDR: real‑time detection/response for IoT/OT endpoints, gateways, servers; passive monitoring, threat hunting, and orchestrated IR.
ICS Architecture & the Purdue Model (Levels 0–5)
We design secure data flows across Purdue Levels 0–5, protecting Level 0/1 while enabling safe interoperability with Level 4/5 enterprise systems.
- Security zones & conduits mapped to business processes and safety constraints
- Protocol allow‑lists and DPI for Modbus, DNP3, Profinet, OPC UA, MQTT and more
- Change control, configuration baselining, and tamper‑evident logging
- Alignment to IEC 62443, NIST SP 800‑82, ISO/IEC 27001
Unified Visibility & Response (Microsoft Defender for IoT/XDR)
Integrate Microsoft Defender for IoT and Defender XDR to detect anomalies across PLCs, SCADA, sensors, gateways, and servers—delivering a single view for alerts, asset profiles, vulnerabilities, and response playbooks spanning OT and IT.
- Deep asset discovery and passive network monitoring for fragile devices
- Threat intelligence prioritised for safety and uptime
- Automated containment: isolate zones, block malicious flows, orchestrate IR
OT Asset Inventory & Configuration (OTbase CMDB)
With OTbase by Langner and complementary tooling, we build an authoritative OT CMDB—hardware, firmware, topology, dependencies—essential for patching, vulnerability management, and change control.
- Hardware/software BOMs (HBOM/SBOM) for industrial assets
- Lifecycle tracking: procurement → commissioning → operations → decommissioning
- Compliance reporting aligned to IEC 62443 and internal policies
Cryptography & Key Management for IoT/OT (PKI, HSM, Secure Boot)
SafeCipher’s roots are in PKI, HSMs, and crypto governance. We safeguard device identities, code signing, and secure boot with customer‑managed keys—on‑prem, cloud HSM, or hybrid.
- Root/issuing CA design for factories, fleets, and field devices; certificate lifecycle at scale (ACME/EST/SCEP/CMP)
- Secure OTA update pipelines with signed artifacts and supply‑chain attestations
- Crypto policy baselines, algorithm agility, and audit‑ready operations
Post‑Quantum Readiness for Embedded & Edge (PQC & Hybrid)
We plan and execute a PQC roadmap for constrained devices, balancing performance, backward compatibility, and long‑term confidentiality.
- Lightweight PQC selections and hybrid (classical+PQC) handshakes
- Hardware offload via HSMs/secure elements to preserve device resources
- Field migration strategies that avoid downtime for critical operations
Service Mesh for Industrial/Edge Platforms (mTLS, SPIFFE/SPIRE)
Where you run containerised workloads at the edge or in brown‑field plants, a service mesh strengthens east‑west security, mTLS, policy enforcement, and observability across microservices interacting with OT gateways and data diodes.
- Design & comparison: Istio, Linkerd, Consul, Kuma, NGINX Service Mesh, Open Service Mesh, Cilium Service Mesh
- Integrations with PKI, SPIFFE/SPIRE workload identity, and Zero Trust segmentation policies
- Blueprints for edge clusters, data ingestion, and secure north‑south/east‑west flows
Engagement Outcomes (What You Receive)
- Reference Architecture: target‑state diagrams, threat models, and policy sets mapped to Purdue levels & Zero Trust pillars
- Operational Runbooks: IR playbooks, change procedures, access workflows, and audit‑ready evidence templates
- Tooling Integration: Defender for IoT/XDR, OTbase CMDB, EDR, SIEM/SOAR, PKI/HSMs, and service mesh controls
- Compliance Alignment: mapping to IEC 62443, NIST SP 800‑82, ISO/IEC 27001, sector regulations
IoT & OT Security — FAQs
- What is the Purdue Model and why does it matter? It structures industrial systems into layers (0–5) to contain risk and guide zoning and data flows.
- How does Zero Trust apply to OT? We authenticate every connection, verify device posture, and enforce least privilege between zones and services.
- Can Defender for IoT/XDR monitor fragile devices? Yes—using passive network sensors and safe polling profiles tailored to vendor guidance.
- Do we need a service mesh in industrial environments? When you run microservices at the edge, a mesh adds mTLS, identity, and policy without changing app code.
- How should we prepare for PQC? Start with a crypto inventory, define policy, pilot hybrid profiles, and plan field firmware updates.
Related Services & Resources
- PKI & Certificate Management
- Service Mesh Consulting
- Post‑Quantum Readiness
- Defender for IoT/XDR Integration
- OT Asset Inventory (OTbase)
Get in Touch
Ready to secure OT/ICS and IoT with Zero Trust, segmented architectures, industrial XDR, and a future‑proof crypto strategy? Speak with SafeCipher’s specialists.