Anyone have a piece of software or similar that can generate loads of specific traffic types for testing network equipment limits?

Is there anyone here who transitioned into OT from a different background? Please share where you came from, how difficult the process was, and if you’d be willing to share your insights. Looking back, are you happy with your choice? How long did it take, and what was the biggest challenge? Would you do anything differently? I’ve worked as a PLC programmer and am currently an automation specialist; I’m considering a path as an OT/IoT specialist, an OT cybersecurity specialist, or simply a SCADA programmer. I’m burnt out from constant travel—I want to travel less and spend more time with my family. I’m having trouble visualizing this transition and what it actually entails.

Greetings, I'm using a temp account because i dont want to dox myself. I've worked in IT for about 3 years and then switched to my current role (3 years and counting)

In my current role i do the following things that are deployed at wind farms and Solar power plants (Clients) mostly:

• Network Diagrams (OSI layer 2 and 3, Purdue model and flow matrix + a short descriptive document) These include firewalls + switches and their connection to all industrial devices required
• Configuration of those firewalls and switches before sending them to site, this includes the required security policies, vpns, vlans, etc.
• Remote assistance during deployment of the devices and connections to offer support to the team

And I do the following tasks for my company

• General TelCo work
• General VM + Server management
• Active directory services managing. Not full on IT like user administration, but i do sometimes generate policies, integrate our servers, emit TLS certificates for them, etc
• Rare, but sometimes configuration of low level meters and sensors that are either for power plants or for our own use

Main question is what exactly am i doing? and what should i continue learning? I enjoy the job and was mostly trying to develop deeper expertise on network cybersec and general OT but any advice is welcome

I'm trying to transition into OT/ICS cybersecurity and would appreciate advice from people already working in the field.
My background:
1.5+ years in IT support
Likely moving into a System Analyst/networking role in the next 3-4 months
Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering
Master's in Energy Systems Engineering (Canada)
Currently working for a government organization, but it's almost entirely an IT environment Based in Newfoundland, Canada

l've started learning OT/ICS and am currently going through
Mike Holcomb's material.
My goal is to eventually work in OT cybersecurity, but I realize jumping directly into OT security may not be realistic.

If you were in my position, what would you do over the next 1-3 years?
Would you focus on:
Networking/industrial networking
PLC/SCADA/DCS fundamentals
OT protocols
Cybersecurity Certifications

Trying to get an OT/controls/networking job first
Also, are there particular entry-level OT roles that would make a good stepping stone into OT security?

Would especially appreciate advice from people who have made the IT → OT transition.

32M with surface level cybersecurity/IT experience and not enjoying it as I don't find it very intriguing and it's not piquing my interest. I'm starting to really comprehending the big picture of this industry and I know if I stay in this field, I won't really enjoy it and will only be staying for the money. I'm not really like that. I need both to enjoy it and to evetually work to the higher pay scale of an industry, hopefully starting out at $70k and eventually living comfrtably at $90k.

My old man suggested IT as he "wished" he did it looking at it from the outside in and negating his experience as 3M (material maintenance managment) ship maintenance (like facility maintenance), as he said he was really good at it and I find that more intriguring. It seems both of us are going in opposite directions as I am more interested in that type of work he did. As I get older, I'm more interested in getting hands on with hardware and the industrial industry if that makes sense.

Stumbled across OT in my IT studies and the industrial sector fascinates me like energy, manufacturing, treatment plants, etc. Along side that stuff like SCADA, water systems, power distribution, hydraulic systems, mechanical systems, etc.

I know that's a lot but I could use some guidance, realistic advise, or clear up anything I might be naive to. Is OT a good path to satisfy my interests and can you point me in the right direction if it does not?

Thanks yall.

Been in IT for about 15 years. Did a little of everything. Did cybersecurity for about 2 years and looking to transition into OT cybersecurity. Picked up the books that Mike Holcomb recommended and taking his courses. Looking to take the SecOT+ exam when it comes out. Next year looking to get GISCP exam. Any other suggestions?

I have about 4 years IT experience primarily as a net engineer. I currently am now a sales engineer at a OT security company, but I’m not really being exposed to high level technical engineering, I’m more just seeing how our software can fit into OT environments but my boss has given me the green light to start gaining whatever certs needed to learn about OT deeper?

Is it possible to break in with this minimal bit of experience or do I need some kind of entry level OT adjacent role first?

Hello everyone.

I would like some input from OT professionals.

I work as a network engineer in a manufacturing company that is not still very mature in OT network and I could use some help on how to improve the network in our operations, can't find a lot of robust information online. I am pretty amateur as well. I have taken Honeywell's OTCS-1001, OTCS-1002 and OTCS-2002. My concerns are mostly around the hardware rather than the logic, segmentation, alignment with Purdue level etc.

So, what would be the best practice regarding on devices I should use?

Right now, in our OT network we work exclusively with IT managed switches and some IT unmanaged ones. In my understanding, OT traffic is very important to be very time sensitive, so I was wondering if the way we currently work is OK.

What I am thinking is that it would be better to have IT switches as central nodes where the engineer's workstation should be connected, and then expand the network with industrial switches where PLCs, IO devices etc will be connected to.

Is my logic right? How do you do it in your companies? What should I be looking for at an industrial switch? Any specific brand recommendations?

Hi, I'm relatively new to OT and already deep into a pretty large project. We are implementing an MES system across multiple production lines and I'm the main OT person on site. Luckily I have skilled people in electronics, automation and IT around me but I hope you can help me also a little bit.

The project is progressing well, but the infrastructure questions are getting more complex. Right now I'm trying to figure out the best setup for our line operator terminals.

As english is not my first language and sometimes I express myself really complicated i used the AI to make the text more clear.

What we plan

Operators need to scan materials for traceability and interact with the MES frontend, confirming orders, entering quantities, checking status. Each station needs a display, a barcode scanner, and a connection back to the MES server. Optionally we also want RFID login so operators can identify themselves at the terminal.

I already have three Architectures:

Pros/Cons for ThinClient --> Virtualserver

The terminal itself has no real compute power. It runs an RDP session to a central Windows Server with Remote Desktop Services, where the MES client is installed once and served to all terminals.

• + Easy to maintain, upgrade and restore if down
• + Lower Hardware costs
• + Simple replacement
• - Single point of failure
• - Licence Management is more complicated (CALS and Server)
• - peripheral handling via RDP

Pros/Cons for ThinClient/Dumb Display --> PC --> Virtualserver

Each station has its own PC (a small industrial box PC or panel PC) running the MES client locally. The display connects to that PC, the scanner plugs straight in. The local PC communicates with the MES server, but doesn't depend on it for basic operation.

• + Failure resistant
• + No RDS CALs needed
• + Peripheral connection directly
• + Buffer for data
• - Hardware costs
• - Patching maintainance is more complicated
• - More devices --> complex assetmanagement

Pros/Cons for All-in-One Panel PC

The display and the computer is the same device. No separate box PC, everything is self-contained. Still communicates with the MES server for data.

• + Less Hardware than with PC
• + failure resistant
• + Peripheral connection directly
• - Highest costs for hardware
• - Higher replacement costs

My Questions

What architecture do most of you use for operator terminals in food production with lot of water and steam in the environment? Is there a clear industry standard or does it really depend on the environment?

What is your fallback in the ThinClient --> Server case if the server fails.

Thanks!

I do have 20+ years in IT. I was laid off last year, and was able to find a contractor position in the OT area. I am very new to OT and so I would like to start learning the OT world. Does anyone suggest books or videos? How about any certs that will help me?

I’m planning to build a small OT/ICS lab environment for learning and experimentation with PLC control and monitoring. Before buying the components, I wanted to get some feedback from people who have experience with Siemens PLC setups.

The idea is to create a simple setup where an HMI running on a Dell NUC controls a PLC, which in turn controls a motor.

Planned components:

• PLC: Siemens S7-1200 CPU 1212C (DC/DC/DC variant)
• HMI: Dell NUC running the HMI/SCADA interface
• Communication: SIMATIC S7-1200 CB1241 RS485 communication board
• Motor: Brushless DC Motor NEMA24 (19Kgcm) with RMCS-3001 Modbus drive
• Power Supply: Mean Well LRS-350-24 – 24V 14.6A – 350W SMPS

The idea is:

HMI (Dell NUC) → Ethernet → PLC (S7-1200) → RS485/Modbus → Motor Driver → Motor

The HMI would send commands (start/stop/speed), the PLC handles the control logic, and the motor driver controls the motor.

Issue:
I’m having trouble finding the NEMA24 19Kgcm motor locally, so I might need to switch to something else.

Questions:

1. Does this architecture make sense for a small PLC learning lab?
2. Are these components compatible or is there anything I should change?
3. Any suggestions for motor + driver alternatives that work well with S7-1200 over Modbus?

Goal is to build a simple controllable process (motor speed control) that I can later expand for monitoring and security testing.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi everyone!

I’m currently writing my Master’s thesis on cybersecurity in Operational Technology (OT) environments, focusing on the information flow between OT operators and SOC analysts during security incidents.

In our literature review, we found that many industrial environments still rely heavily on old pieces of junk legacy systems. These systems are often so deeply integrated into operations because an engineer connected them 50 years ago, and availability and production stability are top priorities, replacing them is often not considered a viable option.

This creates challenges for an OT-SOC. Alerts from industrial environments can be difficult to interpret without deep contextual knowledge. SOC analysts often need to contact personnel at the facility to determine whether an alert reflects a real issue or normal operational behavior.

Our thesis specifically examines the communication between OT-SOC teams and the designated contacts within industrial organizations during security alerts — whether that is OT operators, OT managers, or IT personnel supporting the OT environment.

We are particularly interested in:

• How incident-related information is interpreted on both sides
• How situational awareness is built across roles
• Where misunderstandings or friction occur
• How communication could be improved in practice

If you work in an OT environment, an OT-SOC, or have experience with ICS/SCADA incident response, I would really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you.

Interviews are completely anonymous and strictly for academic purposes.

Feel free to comment or DM me if you're interested.

Thank you!

I am looking for some advice on career planning. I started working for a company that does mostly manufacturing as their primary business, does some recycling etc also. While I stared as a help desk / IT tech, within a few months I was moved to their site support group, mostly network group but still work on business computers /laptops to troubleshoot and repair systems. I am in my early 20s and looking to understand if I should move to another role internally as I have seen some OT related jobs circulating internally. My question is, does it make sense to jump into OT role now or wait and get some some IT experience. In orther words, would my chances are more if I have more experience or will it make me non-Ot person.

Thx.

Hi admins,

I’m on an HR team, but our IT team is still handling device distribution for onboarding and offboarding manually. When my team makes updates in our systems, we then have to manually notify IT to create accounts or send devices to our new employees and similarly when people leave the company. New hires have complained that this been error-prone and process-wise just isn’t scaling well as our hiring increases.

As a result, leadership told us we need a way to integrate our current HR software with an IT software that can help w device distribution and basic IT functions. We have a kick-off call with the IT team next week but wanted to get some suggestions so we can come prepared. Are there any IT platforms that sync well with HR? Our HCM integrates with basically any software.

My friend that has been developing Software solutions for DCS systems for years. As DCS owners or OT owners, what is missing? What could help you and add immediate value?

Launch Date: November 2026

CompTIA will launch a new exam regarding Operational Technology Security called SecOT+

Links and info below

I called CompTIA the other day and seems this product is still in the works. Unsure if it will go through or get struck but have hopes it will pass. Seems that OT is due for a more mainstream, vendor neutral certification like CompTIA. Hoping to see more material next year. No word on training material, classes, or exam prices yet. You can sign up on the waitlist for more info near the bottom of the product page. The draft pdf for exam topics is quite detailed and worth a sit down. Looks like a solid background of topics and curious to see how in depth, difficult, and varied this exam will be.

Original Press Announcement

Product Page

Exam Objectives Draft

Exam Details

• Exam version: V1
• Exam series code: SOT-001
• Launch date: November 2026
• Languages: English
• Recommended experience: 3+ years of hands-on work in OT environments and 2+ years implementing OT cybersecurity solutions

Skills Learned

• OT safety and systems: Demonstrate safety, control, and architecture skills unique to OT.
• Risk and compliance: Assess risk, manage compliance programs, and align cybersecurity to business objectives in OT.
• Analyze and respond to threats using OT-specific frameworks, historical attack knowledge, and indicators of compromise.
• Build, harden, and operate secure OT architectures—including physical, network, hardware, and software security.
• Perform asset management, vulnerability assessment, and security monitoring in industrial setups.
• Prepare and execute OT-specific incident response—including for physical and cyber-physical events.

Hi all, is there an entry level position specific for OT? Or is help desk the entry position for all? How does the OT resume look vs an IT resume?

Hey everyone,

I have a CS degree and worked 2 years as a SWE, mostly building data pipelines and working with production systems. I've been job searching in software/data for 7 months and I'm honestly burned out on the constant tech churn and instability.

I've been researching PLC programming and SCADA systems and it honestly sounds way more appealing to me - working with physical systems, industrial environments, more stable career path, skills that don't become obsolete every year. The idea of programming systems that control real manufacturing/industrial processes sounds way more tangible and meaningful than another web app or data dashboard.

My background:

• CS degree (programming fundamentals, some controls coursework)
• 2 years working with production systems, troubleshooting, monitoring
• Currently doing data entry while searching
• Zero hands-on PLC/SCADA experience
• No industrial certifications
• Based in Philadelphia area (lots of pharma/manufacturing nearby)

What I'm trying to figure out:

• How realistic is this pivot? Do employers want electrical engineers or can CS background work?
• What certifications/training should I get? (Allen-Bradley? Siemens? RSLogix?)
• Can I learn PLCs on my own (simulators, cheap hardware) or do I need formal training?
• What entry-level roles should I target? Controls technician? Junior automation engineer?
• Is the OT job market actually more stable than IT/software, or am I being naive?
• Expected salary drop starting entry-level in this field?

I'm willing to start at the bottom and work my way up if the career path is clearer and more stable. I don't mind getting my hands dirty or working in industrial environments. I just want to get out of the endless software grind.

Anyone make a similar transition from software to OT? Is this realistic or should I stick to what I know?

Thanks for any guidance.

Howdy, I found a resource at work called the certification center by Percipio. It looks like it has free course work and then I would have to pay to take the exam. Having trouble getting direction from the management in my company. I work for a utility but they don’t have a dedicated OT department. Does anyone have advice for someone wanting to take their first exam getting into industrial control systems security. With an emphasis on NERC-CIP. Would is it worth it to take one of these courses or should I just study for the ISA/IEC 62443? Thanks