Manufacturing OT Risk Assessment Saves €100K
Case Study: How a Targeted OT Risk Assessment Saved a Manufacturer Over €100K in Avoidable Cybersecurity Spend
Company Profile
Industry: Manufacturing
Size: 100+ employees
Location: Ireland
Scope: Operational Technology (OT), IT Infrastructure
The Challenge
A growing manufacturing firm had recently integrated its operational technology (OT) with traditional IT systems to support automation, data sharing, and production efficiency. However, this digital evolution introduced new cyber risks , particularly in an environment where legacy systems and safety-critical processes were in play.
The finance team wanted to ensure any future cybersecurity investment would deliver measurable risk reduction, while avoiding unnecessary or reactive spending. At the same time, the IT team, now overseeing OT systems, was concerned about network visibility, legacy hardware, and the increasing pressure to manage systems they hadn’t originally secured.
Key concerns included:
• No clear segmentation between OT and IT networks
• Ageing SCADA and PLC systems with minimal security features
• Limited monitoring of OT traffic or threats
• Uncontrolled vendor access methods
• Lack of an OT-specific security roadmap or incident plan
Our Approach
Enterprise Defence began the engagement by offering a complimentary OT cyber risk assessment, designed to provide the client with a high-level snapshot of potential risks in their OT environment.
This basic, non-intrusive review helped:
• Identify high-risk areas
• Give finance and IT teams a clearer picture of their current position
• Outline quick wins and areas worth deeper exploration
The insights gained helped build trust and provided value from the outset. As a result, the client decided to move forward with a comprehensive, in-depth OT security analysis to gain a more granular view of their risks and build a strategic, long-term roadmap.
This phased engagement allowed the client to:
• Understand their exposure with zero initial cost
• Validate the need for more detailed analysis before committing budget
• Prioritise investments that aligned to real risk, not just industry trends
Our Services & Solutions
Following the in-depth assessment, Enterprise Defence was retained to support and deliver several targeted improvements:
1. Cost-Efficient Network Segmentation
• Redesigned OT network layout to create separation from IT systems
• Introduced VLANs and firewalls to isolate critical control systems
2. OT Threat Monitoring & Visibility
• Deployed passive monitoring tools to detect suspicious behaviour
• Integrated alerts into the client’s wider incident response process
3. Access Control & Vendor Management
• Hardened credentials across OT systems
• Introduced secure, session-based remote access for third parties with MFA
4. Strategic Advisory & Ongoing Support
• Provided regular OT risk reviews and guidance on future projects
• Continued working alongside IT and engineering as a trusted partner
The Outcome
The two-phase engagement gave the client a measured and cost-effective path to strengthening their OT security.
Financial Impact:
• Over €100,000 in avoidable spend saved, including:
o Avoided premature system replacements
o Smarter investment in monitoring tools
o Focused spend on highest-impact improvements
• Finance team had clear justification for all security investments
• Improved cyber insurance profile and future compliance posture
Operational Impact:
• No production downtime during assessment or implementation
• IT team gained visibility into OT without being overextended
• Long-term security posture now supported by both internal and external expertise
Conclusion
By starting with a basic risk review and evolving into a deeper partnership, Enterprise Defence helped this manufacturer avoid costly missteps, strengthen its cyber resilience, and build a smarter, more sustainable security strategy.
Both the finance and IT teams gained what they needed:
• Finance had the clarity to invest wisely and avoid unnecessary spend
• IT had a trusted cybersecurity partner to support complex OT environments
This case highlights the value of starting with the right level of assessment and scaling intelligently from there.
