Asset vs. Client Management in OT: Expert Talk with Max Weidele

In many industrial companies, OT security is still viewed through an IT lens. In IT, you work with clearly defined clients, fixed update windows, and centrally controllable systems. In OT, however, the reality is quite different. Many systems have been running for decades and receive little support. IPCs from different manufacturers have been added over the years and follow different standards and a lack of documentation make any form of management and security measures difficult.

In this Expert Talk, Max Weidele, founder of the free knowledge platform “Sichere Industrie” and Peter Lukesch, CEO of ondeso, discuss why the crucial first step is not patching, but first understanding your own OT systems – and why a client management approach without proper asset management in OT is bound to fail.

The conversation covers the following topics, among others:

• Why OT asset management is more than just an inventory list
• Where IT client management reaches its limits in production
• What risks arise from legacy systems and missing backups
• How companies can move from system sprawl to secure, automatable OT processes

Max Weidele is the founder of the free knowledge platform “Sichere Industrie”, which offers a wealth of specialist content on OT and OT security. He is CEO of the engineering firm of the same name and is also involved in a wide variety of future-oriented projects in the field of networked production.

Peter Lukesch, CEO of ondeso, is an electrical engineer and computer scientist. He spent many years as an IT manager responsible for office and production environments and has more than ten years of experience in medical and military IT security.

You can find the recording here (German only):