
Employees: Your Organizations Greatest Threat: Part 2
Packetlabs provides analysis of recent PHI breaches and the root cause relates to lack of user awareness; corporate programs must be more effective.
November 21, 2018 - Blog

Energy providers, water utilities, and critical infrastructure operators face increasing cyber threats from ransomware groups, nation-state actors, and insider risk. Packetlabs delivers practitioner-led penetration testing tailored to OT, SCADA, ICS, and hybrid IT/OT environments, protecting operational continuity, public safety, and regulatory compliance.

We assess SCADA systems, PLCs, ICS networks, and OT segmentation controls to reduce risk to uptime, safety, and industrial processes.
Reduce the risk of outages caused by ransomware or network compromise.
Secure SCADA, ICS, and OT environments from external and insider threats.
Ensure IT and OT networks are properly isolated and controlled.
Measure your ability to identify and respond to real-world threats.
Utilities & Critical Infrastructure Security Testing
| Packetlabs Utilities Security Testing | Typical Competitors |
|---|---|
Security testing designed for critical infrastructure and utility environments | Generic testing with limited utilities expertise |
Deep understanding of OT, SCADA, substations, smart grids, and control systems | One-size-fits-all IT-centric methodologies |
Threat models aligned to nation-state targeting, ransomware, and operational disruption | Standard threat models that overlook infrastructure-specific risks |
Manual testing of segmentation between IT and OT environments | Heavy reliance on automated scanners |
Evaluates remote access, field devices, and operational technology pathways | Tests limited to corporate IT networks |
Scenarios include grid disruption attempts, insider misuse, and access escalation | Limited scenario realism |
Remediation guidance tailored to uptime, safety, and regulatory constraints | Generic remediation advice without operational context |
Reporting designed for security teams, operations leaders, and regulators | Technical reports lacking operational and compliance nuance |
Aligned with utility standards (e.g., NERC CIP, IEC 62443, NIST 800-82) | Minimal alignment to critical infrastructure frameworks |
Built to protect service continuity and public safety long-term | One-off testing engagements |
Answers to common questions from infrastructure and operations leaders.
Yes, engagements are carefully scoped and coordinated to avoid operational disruption while validating real-world risk.
Utilities operate in high-risk, high-impact environments. Security must protect both digital and physical systems.
By uncovering weaknesses across IT and OT environments, organizations can reduce downtime risk, strengthen resilience, and maintain trust with regulators and communities.
Security assessments help identify weaknesses in network segmentation, access controls, and system configurations that could allow unauthorized access or lateral movement. Strengthening IT/OT controls reduces operational risk while supporting compliance and long-term infrastructure resilience.
Security testing helps validate monitoring capabilities, alerting mechanisms, and response workflows across both IT and OT environments. By improving detection readiness, utilities can identify malicious activity earlier and respond before it impacts safety, operations, or reliability.

Packetlabs provides analysis of recent PHI breaches and the root cause relates to lack of user awareness; corporate programs must be more effective.
November 21, 2018 - Blog

Exploring the ongoing threat of DDoS attacks on the healthcare industry in 2023 is today's topic. What is behind this uptick in DDoS attacks, and what can your organization do to protect itself?
August 14, 2023 - Blog

The Ontario Health atHome data breach is more than just another cybersecurity incident—it’s a cautionary tale for every organization entrusted with safeguarding personal information.
June 27, 2025 - Blog