Question 1

Do you replace our existing systems integrator?

Accepted Answer

Usually no. We act as the owner's technical representative — defining scope, validating designs, and holding integrators (Rockwell, Siemens, regional SIs) accountable to schedule, safety, and cybersecurity requirements. If you don't have an integrator, we can run the RFP and pick one.

Question 2

Which PLC and SCADA platforms do you support?

Accepted Answer

Allen-Bradley / Rockwell (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, FactoryTalk), Siemens (S7-1500/1200, TIA Portal, WinCC), Schneider Modicon, Ignition by Inductive Automation, Wonderware/AVEVA, and GE iFIX. Migration paths from legacy SLC-500, PLC-5, and Micrologix are a frequent engagement.

Question 3

How do you modernize a PLC without halting production?

Accepted Answer

We plan around your maintenance windows: shadow PLC builds tested offline, I/O mapping validated bench-side, hot-cutover sequences rehearsed, and rollback paths documented. For 24/7 lines we stage in redundant racks and cut over zone-by-zone.

Question 4

Is ISA/IEC 62443 actually required, or is it a 'nice to have'?

Accepted Answer

It's increasingly contractual. Cyber insurers, SOC 2 auditors with manufacturing scope, and large customers (especially automotive, aerospace, pharma, and DoD supply chain) now ask for 62443-aligned segmentation and SR controls. Even where not required, it's the defensible answer to 'how is your plant network protected?'

Question 5

How does NIST SP 800-82 relate to ISA/IEC 62443?

Accepted Answer

NIST SP 800-82 is the U.S. government guidance for securing industrial control systems and pulls heavily from 62443. We map every 62443 SR (system requirement) to its corresponding 800-82 / NIST SP 800-53 control so one engagement satisfies both frameworks plus CSF 2.0.

Question 6

What is the Purdue model and why do you keep referencing it?

Accepted Answer

It's the reference architecture for separating plant-floor systems (Levels 0–2: sensors, PLCs, SCADA) from operations systems (Level 3: MES, historians) and the enterprise (Levels 4–5: ERP, cloud) — with an industrial DMZ (Level 3.5) between OT and IT. It's the structure auditors expect to see when they ask 'show me your network diagram.'

Question 7

Can MES and ERP data flow without exposing the plant network?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We use an industrial DMZ (Level 3.5) with brokered data flows — historians, OPC UA gateways, and unidirectional diodes where needed — so MES, ERP, and analytics get their data without giving anyone a path back into Level 1/2 controls.

Question 8

Do you handle OT incident response?

Accepted Answer

We build the IR plan, run tabletop exercises with your operations and IT teams, and stand up monitoring (Claroty, Dragos, Nozomi, or Microsoft Defender for IoT depending on fit). For active incidents we coordinate with your IR retainer or insurer's panel.

Question 9

How long is a typical engagement?

Accepted Answer

An Industrial Automation Assessment runs 4–6 weeks and produces a prioritized remediation roadmap. Modernization or 62443 segmentation projects scope from 3–12 months depending on plant size. Ongoing OT cybersecurity oversight is delivered through our Security Program Engagement subscription.

Question 10

What does an Industrial Automation Assessment include?

Accepted Answer

Asset inventory across L0–L3, network architecture review against the Purdue model, ISA/IEC 62443 zone & conduit gap analysis, NIST SP 800-82 control mapping, vulnerability triage on PLCs/HMIs/historians, and a prioritized remediation plan with budget bands — delivered as an evidence pack your insurer and customers can review.

Purdue Zone	ISA/IEC 62443	NIST SP 800-82 Control
L0–L1 Field / Control	SR 1.1, SR 5.1 — Identification & Zone Segmentation	AC-4, SC-7 — Boundary Protection
L2 Supervisory (SCADA/HMI)	SR 2.1, SR 3.1 — Use Control & System Integrity	AC-3, SI-7 — Access & Integrity Monitoring
L3 Operations (MES/Historian)	SR 4.1, SR 6.1 — Data Confidentiality & Audit Logging	AU-2, SC-28 — Audit Events & Data-at-Rest
L3.5 IDMZ	SR 5.2 — Conduit Enforcement	SC-7(5), CA-3 — DMZ & Interconnection Controls
L4–L5 Enterprise / Cloud	SR 1.2, SR 7.6 — Account Mgmt & Network Config	IA-2, CM-7 — MFA & Least Functionality

Industrial Automation

Outcomes We Deliver

Why Senticit for Plant OT

Production-Safe Modernization

MES & ERP Connectivity

OT Cybersecurity

Audit-Ready Reporting

What's Included

ISA/IEC 62443 ↔ NIST SP 800-82 Mapping

Industrial Automation FAQs

Ready to Modernize the Plant Floor?

Related Services

Cybersecurity

Cloud Services

Security Program Engagements

IT Strategy & Governance Engagements