The Visibility Crisis in IoT and OT Security

In cybersecurity, one principle is constant: you cannot protect what you cannot see. For Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), this challenge is magnified in the world of IoT (Internet of Things) and OT (Operational Technology). From factory sensors, industrial sensors, and connected medical devices to smart vehicles and energy grids, enterprises are now responsible for securing a complex web of devices and interconnected IoT systems that often exist outside the traditional IT perimeter.

The scale is staggering. Industry analysts estimate that by 2030, there will be more than 29 billion IoT devices deployed globally, spanning critical industries such as healthcare, automotive, manufacturing, utilities, and logistics. The average organization now manages thousands of IoT devices, highlighting the typical scale and challenges faced in maintaining security and visibility. Yet research consistently shows that most organisations lack visibility into as much as 40% of their connected assets. These “blind spots” create prime opportunities for attackers, who can exploit unmanaged or unidentified devices to bypass security defences. Devices communicating across networks without proper oversight further increase the risk of security breaches.

This is why real-time IoT/OT visibility and control is now a board-level priority — not just for compliance, but for operational resilience.

Understanding the Threat Landscape

The threat landscape for IoT devices is rapidly evolving, presenting organizations with a host of new vulnerabilities and risks. Many IoT devices are designed with minimal security, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking easy entry points into enterprise networks. The sheer number of IoT devices deployed across industries means that the potential attack surface is vast, and the risks to critical infrastructure are significant.

These devices generate vast amounts of data, which, if left unprotected, can be exploited by attackers to compromise sensitive systems and disrupt operations. The increased risk is compounded by the fact that many organizations struggle to maintain a strong security posture across all their IoT assets. Without complete visibility, it becomes nearly impossible to identify every device, detect anomalies, and respond to threats before they escalate.

To address these challenges, organizations must prioritize IoT security by implementing machine identity automation. This approach enables the identification and management of every IoT device, ensuring that only authorized devices are allowed to communicate and access critical resources. By achieving complete visibility into all IoT assets, organizations can proactively detect anomalies, mitigate risks, and maintain the integrity of their operations in the face of evolving threats.

The Business Risks of Limited Visibility

When organisations lack accurate visibility into their connected devices, they expose themselves to multiple risks:

• Unmanaged devices as attack vectors: Rogue devices or shadow IoT endpoints often run outdated software and may use default credentials, which can be easily exploited for lateral movement inside networks.
• Compliance gaps: Regulations such as NIST, Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), and Executive Order 14028 require auditable device inventories. Missing visibility can mean automatic non-compliance.
• Operational disruption: In OT environments like factories or energy plants, a single compromised device can halt production or disrupt essential services.
• Increased breach costs: Data shows that breaches involving IoT/OT assets are among the most expensive to remediate, often due to downtime and supply chain implications.

Limited visibility can also delay incident response, increasing the impact and cost of security breaches.

For CISOs, these risks translate into financial exposure, reputational damage, and in some sectors, even regulatory fines.

Defining IoT/OT Visibility and Control

IoT/OT visibility means having a real-time, accurate, and comprehensive inventory of every device in your environment — from sensors to servers. Achieving this requires deploying various technologies, including IoT, OT, and IT technologies, to ensure comprehensive visibility and control. Control refers to the ability to enforce consistent policies, authenticate devices, and restrict unauthorised access.

In practice, this requires four capabilities:

1. Discovery: Identifying all devices connecting to the network, including unmanaged and shadow IoT.
2. Classification: Understanding device type, function, risk profile, and compliance status.
3. Policy enforcement: Applying security controls such as certificate provisioning, access restrictions, and firmware updates. Device authority’s capabilities support real-time visibility, automated certificate provisioning, and device-specific security enforcement to enhance policy enforcement.
4. Continuous monitoring: Tracking changes in device behaviour and flagging anomalies in real time.

Together, these capabilities form the foundation of a Zero Trust approach to IoT and OT.

The Convergence of IoT and OT

As IoT devices become increasingly integrated with Operational Technology (OT) systems, organizations are facing a new set of security challenges. This convergence expands the attack surface, exposing critical infrastructure to a broader range of cyber threats. Many IoT devices now operate alongside traditional OT systems, creating complex environments where vulnerabilities in one area can quickly impact the entire network.

To manage these risks, organizations must implement robust device security measures, starting with comprehensive device discovery. Identifying all connected devices—whether legacy OT equipment or the latest IoT sensors—is essential for understanding the full scope of the network and the potential entry points for attackers. Network segmentation is another critical strategy, as it limits lateral movement between devices and systems, containing threats before they can spread.

By combining device discovery with effective network segmentation, organizations can reduce the risk of cyber threats, protect critical infrastructure, and maintain the security and reliability of their OT systems. This proactive approach is essential for managing the unique challenges posed by the convergence of IoT and OT, ensuring that all connected devices are accounted for and secured.

Why Traditional Security Tools Fall Short

Conventional IT security solutions such as endpoint detection and firewalls were not designed for the unique characteristics of IoT/OT devices. Traditional IT, OT, and IoT technologies often lack the integration needed for comprehensive visibility across all connected assets.

• Many IoT devices run proprietary operating systems that cannot support agents.
• OT devices often have long lifespans and cannot be patched without disrupting operations.
• Device sprawl across cloud, edge, and hybrid environments creates complex management challenges.
• Legacy tools struggle to detect IoT-specific malware, such as infections from major botnets like Gafgyt and Mirai.

This is why relying on legacy tools for IoT/OT visibility leads to incomplete coverage and false confidence. CISOs need solutions purpose-built for the IoT era, including the ability to monitor network traffic for device discovery—something traditional tools may not support.

How Automation Delivers True IoT/OT Visibility and Control

Automation is the only way to achieve accurate visibility and enforce control across thousands — or millions — of connected devices. Manual processes simply cannot scale.

Device Authority’s KeyScaler 2025 is built for this challenge. It provides:

• Agentless discovery: Identifies all connected devices without requiring additional software installations.
• AI-supported classification: Uses machine learning to analyse device behaviour and risk profiles.
• Automated credential management: Issues and rotates certificates to prevent credential theft and unauthorised access.
• Policy-based control: Applies Zero Trust rules consistently, no matter the device type or location.
• Continuous compliance reporting: Generates auditable logs aligned to frameworks like NIST, CRA, and WP.29.

This approach enables CISOs to move from reactive firefighting to proactive risk management.

Device Security Measures: Beyond Visibility

While achieving visibility into all IoT devices is a foundational step, it is only part of a comprehensive IoT security strategy. Organizations must also implement robust device security measures to protect their assets from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. This includes deploying secure communication protocols, such as encryption, to safeguard data in transit and prevent unauthorized access.

Many IoT devices rely on unique protocols to function, which can create additional challenges for organizations seeking to secure diverse device ecosystems. To address these complexities, advanced device security solutions are needed—solutions that offer real-time monitoring, threat detection, and automated response capabilities. These tools enable organizations to identify and respond to security incidents as they occur, minimizing risk and maintaining operational continuity.

By integrating visibility with strong device security measures, organizations can create a holistic IoT security solution. This approach not only protects devices and data but also ensures the ongoing integrity of business operations, even as the number and diversity of IoT devices continue to grow.

Real-World Use Cases of IoT/OT Visibility and Control

Healthcare: Protecting Patients and Data

Hospitals may operate tens of thousands of devices, from MRI machines to wearable monitors. Without visibility, shadow IoT devices can introduce risks that put patient data and safety at risk. Automated discovery ensures that only authenticated devices connect to hospital networks, reducing exposure to ransomware attacks.

Automotive: Meeting WP.29 Cybersecurity Requirements

Connected vehicles rely on hundreds of embedded systems. WP.29 regulations require automakers to monitor and protect these systems throughout the vehicle lifecycle. Automated IoT visibility provides the foundation for CSMS (Cybersecurity Management Systems), ensuring compliance and consumer safety.

Manufacturing: Reducing Downtime and Risk

In smart factories, downtime is costly. Automated device discovery and control allows manufacturers to spot anomalies before they disrupt production. At the same time, continuous compliance ensures supply chain resilience.

Critical National Infrastructure: Strengthening National Security

Energy grids, transport networks, and water utilities represent prime targets for cyberattacks. Automated visibility across OT systems enables rapid detection of rogue devices, preventing catastrophic service disruptions.

The Role of AI in Enhancing Visibility and Control

Artificial intelligence enhances IoT/OT visibility by making sense of vast amounts of data. AI-powered analytics can:

• Identify unusual device behaviour that signals compromise.
• Predict potential vulnerabilities based on usage patterns.
• Recommend or even automate remediation steps.

With KeyScaler 2025, AI is integrated into the visibility process, providing intelligence-driven security that keeps pace with evolving threats.

Meeting Compliance Requirements with Automated Visibility

Regulators now expect organisations to demonstrate continuous device visibility as part of their compliance obligations.

KeyScaler 2025 aligns with:

• NIST guidance on IoT device identification and lifecycle management.
• CRA requirements for ongoing vulnerability management.
• EO 14028 for federal cybersecurity standards in the US.
• WP.29 mandates for automotive cybersecurity monitoring.

By providing auditable visibility and control, enterprises can reduce the risk of fines while improving stakeholder trust.

Quantifying the ROI of IoT/OT Visibility

Enterprises often struggle to justify security investments. However, IoT/OT visibility and control directly reduce costs by:

• Minimising downtime caused by attacks or misconfigurations.
• Reducing breach remediation expenses.
• Lowering the resources required for compliance reporting.
• Preventing fines associated with regulatory violations.

Device Authority offers an IoT Security ROI Calculator, helping CISOs quantify savings from automation.

Building a Zero Trust Future with IoT/OT Visibility

The concept of Zero Trust — “never trust, always verify” — is impossible without complete visibility. Every device must be identified, authenticated, and continuously monitored. KeyScaler 2025 makes this achievable at scale, even in complex environments with diverse device types.

This is the future of enterprise security: visibility-driven, automation-first, and Zero Trust by design.

Conclusion: Why CISOs Must Act Now

For CISOs, the stakes have never been higher. Unseen devices are unmanaged devices — and unmanaged devices are vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited. By adopting IoT/OT visibility and control through automation, enterprises can strengthen security posture, achieve compliance, and protect mission-critical operations.

Device Authority’s KeyScaler 2025 delivers the agentless discovery, AI-driven analytics, and policy enforcement capabilities required to secure today’s and tomorrow’s connected ecosystems.

The time to act is now. Visibility is not a luxury – it is the foundation of cyber resilience.