Serving as a centralized system for identifying, tracking, and managing the life cycle of both physical and digital assets within an organization, asset management platforms are utilized to provide complete visibility into connected devices, a feature that is particularly important in OT environments.
Visibility into PLCs, HMIs, sensors, and control systems and associated software and firmware versions supports risk identification, highlights outdated or vulnerable systems, and boosts proper configuration management. By maintaining an up-to-date asset inventory, the platform also enables organizations to monitor changes, track maintenance history and plan for upgrades or replacements — all features that improve reliability and reduce unplanned downtime.
Many platforms integrate with threat intelligence and vulnerability databases, allowing teams to proactively address risks tied to specific assets. Additionally, asset management platforms support compliance by providing documentation, audit trails and reporting aligned with standards like NERC CIP, NIST or ISA/IEC 62443. In essence, they empower organizations to secure, maintain and optimize critical infrastructure by delivering the visibility and control needed to manage complex, distributed OT environments effectively.
Key capabilities of asset management platforms include:
- Automated asset discovery: Identifies and catalogs OT and IT assets across the network — such as PLCs, RTUs, HMIs, sensors, switches, and servers — without manual entry, often using passive monitoring or integrations.
- Real-time asset inventory management: Maintains a centralized, continuously updated inventory that includes details like device type, IP address, location, firmware/software versions, vendor and model.
- Life cycle tracking: Tracks each asset’s life cycle from installation through updates, maintenance and decommissioning, enabling better planning and budgeting.
- Vulnerability and risk identification: Maps known vulnerabilities (e.g., CVEs) to specific assets based on firmware versions or configurations and prioritizes them based on risk severity and criticality.
- Configuration and change monitoring: Monitors and logs changes to asset configurations, helping detect unauthorized modifications, configuration drift or signs of compromise.
- Network and communication mapping: Visualizes how assets interact with each other, showing communication paths, dependencies and potential exposure points.
- Maintenance scheduling and history: Supports preventive and corrective maintenance planning by logging maintenance actions and enabling alerts for upcoming service needs.
- Role-based access and audit logs: Provides access controls and detailed logging of user interactions with the platform, supporting accountability and compliance.
- Reporting and compliance support: Generates reports and audit trails aligned with industry standards (e.g., NERC CIP, ISA/IEC 62443, NIST), supporting both internal reviews and regulatory audits.
- Integration with other systems: Connects with SIEMs, CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems), EDR tools and other platforms for a unified security and asset management ecosystem.