PLAYBOOK

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE

STRATEGY PLAYBOOK
Executive overview for critical
infrastructure protection leaders.

The industrial world you knew – relatively secure from cyberattacks –

no longer exists.
The threats against critical infrastructure systems (CIS) and operational technology (OT) are growing in scope and
sophistication. The same IT/OT convergence that is bringing down organizational silos and driving efficient and
cost-effective manufacturing processes is also creating more vulnerabilities.

This playbook provides Armis’s guidance to help ICS and OT team leaders navigate the unique security
challenges of this Industry 4.0 era. You will get insights on how to drive awareness to the importance of
cybersecurity to business continuity and a roadmap to securing all your digital assets across OT and IT
environments.

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 1

Table of contents

03 Get Preprepared

05 Make Your Case

07 Take Action

09 Look Ahead
GET PREPREPARED

CHAPTER 1

OT/IT convergence has already

changed your industry. What’s next?
Digital transformation is shaping a new era of innovations
across industries. Discover how IT/OT integration
enables streamlined processes, bridging the divide
between information technology and operations and, at
the same time, opening the door for more sophisticated
cyberattacks.

Read this article to explore the challenges and benefits of

IT/OT alignment. You will learn how the Armis Agentless
Device Security Platform helps organizations secure their
industrial environments in this Industry 4.0 era.

Learn More

CHAPTER 2

And you thought air gaps would keep

you secure…
The convergence between IT and OT systems has
dissolved the air gap that in the past separated industrial
control systems (ICS) from the internet and enterprise IT
networks. Digital transformation, demand for real-time data,
and the Internet of Things are all contributing to breaking
down the silos between IT and OT data.

Delve into the cybersecurity implications of this Industrial

Internet of Things (IIoT) and how to secure your operations
from vulnerabilities you didn’t expect.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 3

 CHAPTER 3

Why and how the White House wants

to ramp up critical infrastructure
protection
The U.S. government is taking a series of measures to
bolster the nation’s cybersecurity. Initiatives include a
cybersecurity executive order to modernize the federal
government’s digital infrastructure and heavy nationwide
investments in the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Find out the challenges of securing critical infrastructure

and what will be required from the private sector to help
make these cybersecurity efforts successful.

Learn More

CHAPTER 4

A guide to securing IT and OT in

industrial environments
OT/IT convergence and the proliferation of the Internet of
Things (IoT) devices in industrial environments introduce
a world of connectivity first, security second. Traditional
approaches such as endpoint protection don’t address the
technical challenges of securing industrial control systems
(ICS) and OT.

We bring real-world examples to show you how

compromised assets and uncontrolled networks expose
manufacturers to a series of vulnerabilities. Download this
resource to learn how to close the security blind spots in
your industrial environment.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 4

MAKE YOUR CASE

CHAPTER 5

You can’t protect what you can’t

see: A case for device and network
infrastructure visibility
Comprehensive asset visibility is the first step to protect
your network infrastructure from cyberattacks in the
Industry 4.0 era. Security teams need to know what they
have across both enterprise IT and the factory floor – but
that’s not so simple because IoT and IIoT devices present
unique cybersecurity challenges.

Check out our roadmap to effective cybersecurity asset

management and control. Learn how Armis works with
both managed and unmanaged devices, identifies when an
asset behaves abnormally and helps orchestrate measures
to reduce exposure.

Learn More

CHAPTER 6

Operational downtime explained: A

case for passive monitoring
ICS, OT and IoT devices cannot be secured with traditional
IT solutions because they cannot accommodate agents.
Scans are disruptive and can lead to crashes and
operational downtime. That’s why the best way to secure
industrial environments is with agentless solutions that
passively monitor devices and traffic on your network or in
your airspace.

Get to know the difference between active and passive

monitoring as we explain why plant managers must
consider the cyber implications of the convergence
between IT and OT/ICS.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 5

 CHAPTER 7

What if I’m hacked? A case for network

segmentation and automated incident
response
Segmentation prevents attackers from moving laterally
inside a network. In case of a breach, it’s crucial to have
real-time policy enforcement and automated remediation
to isolate devices, trigger alerts and initiate software
updates.

Explore the importance of having mitigation strategies in

place and discover how the Armis solution automatically
generates segmentation policies to reduce risk exposure.

Learn More

CHAPTER 8

Get a risk assessment and learn what

to prioritize
Use the Armis ICS Security Risk Assessment tool to see
which devices on your network are most vulnerable to
attacks.

By calculating the risk score of each device, the Armis

platform helps IT and OT security teams prioritize
vulnerabilities. These insights enable more effective risk
mitigation plans and better compliance with regulatory
frameworks.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 6

TAKE ACTION

CHAPTER 9

Follow these cybersecurity frameworks

to shield your operations
Some of the most important cybersecurity frameworks
include Zero Trust, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS Controls, and NIST
Cybersecurity Framework.

Discover the importance of regulatory compliance and

security frameworks and how Armis provides coverage for
all these frameworks.

Learn More

CHAPTER 10

How to implement the Zero Trust

framework in an ICS environment
The implementation of the Zero Trust security model has
become a hot topic in security circles. Even the White
House is now pushing a federal Zero Trust strategy.

Check out this article to better understand the rising

importance of this framework, which requires continuous
verification of devices and users in order to keep access
to resources on the network. Also, check out the steps
for a successful Zero Trust deployment in industrial
environments with Armis.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 7

 CHAPTER 11

How to address the CIS Critical

Security Controls
The CIS Controls – established by the Center for Internet
Security (CIS) – are a set of actions that organizations
should implement to block or mitigate known cyberattacks
and malware. These controls are widely recognized
for being effective and practical in helping to improve
organizations’ security posture.

Discover the security gaps most organizations experience

when implementing the CIS Controls and learn how Armis
provides coverage for the common controls in ICS and OT
environments.

Learn More

CHAPTER 12

How to get comprehensive coverage

for the MITRE ATT&CK framework
MITRE ATT&CK for ICS is a framework that outlines the
tactics, techniques and common procedures typically
employed in attacks against operational technology and
industrial control systems.

Get this white paper for an in-depth look at the MITRE

ATT&CK for ICS framework. See which adversarial tactics
listed in the MITRE framework can be detected, mitigated,
and prevented using the Armis platform.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 8

LOOK AHEAD

CHAPTER 13

Do you think 2021 was the year

of ransomware? Wait to see what
happens in 2022
Navigate the current and future threat landscape. The
takeaway is that OT security leaders should be worried
about ransomware as global attack volumes hit a record
high in 2021. Experts forecast a grimmer picture in 2022.

Read this article to overview the evolution of ransomware

over the years and get a deeper understanding of why
those attacks are on the rise. Learn how to safeguard your
operations from the challenges ahead.

Learn More

CHAPTER 14

Best IT/OT alignment security

practices moving forward
Take a look at the best cybersecurity practices and trends
moving forward. In this Industry 4.0 era, it is crucial to
deploy an agentless security platform that offers passive
monitoring, asset discovery, risk assessment, automated
incident response, and compliance to frameworks.

Make sure your OT/IT integration strategy includes

reinforced cybersecurity measures. Learn what the Armis
Agentless Device Security Platform can do for your
operations.

Learn More

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 9

 CHAPTER 15

Schedule a custom demo with Armis

and be ready for the challenges ahead
Request a demo with Armis, and we will walk you through
our award-winning agentless device security platform.

See how our solution provides comprehensive asset

inventory, enhanced risk management, and automatic
incident response for better cybersecurity.

Book a Demo

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC. 10

About Armis
Armis is the leading unified asset visibility and security platform designed to address the new
threat landscape that connected devices create. Fortune 1000 companies trust our real-
time and continuous protection to see with full context all managed, unmanaged, and IoT
devices, including medical devices (IoMT), operational technology (OT) and industrial control
systems (ICS). Armis provides passive and unparalleled cybersecurity asset management,
risk management, and automated enforcement. Armis is a privately held company and
headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

armis.com
info@armis.com

20210830- 1

THE IT/OT CONVERGENCE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK. ©2022 ARMIS, INC.