NEWS AND EVENTS
SNOK Health Check picks up speed – we are delivering OT overview after OT overview
What equipment is connected to the OT network, and who is communicating with whom? After several projects with the SNOK Health Check, I see how useful it is to get answers to these questions before deciding on the next security measure.
In many organizations, the industrial network has grown over time. Equipment has been replaced, suppliers have been given access, and new solutions have been added. The documentation tells part of the story, while the actual network traffic may show a more complex picture.
With the SNOK Health Check, we make it easy to get started with this mapping. Through a clearly scoped project, the customer gets a better overview of its own environment and concrete recommendations for further work.
How it works in practice
We start with a conversation with those who know the facility. Together, we clarify which parts of the network we will examine, what documentation exists and where the sensor should be connected.
We then prepare the SNOK unit and send it to the customer. The connection is arranged with the person responsible for IT or operations. Once the unit is in place, it collects network traffic from the agreed parts of the OT environment while the facility is in normal operation.
This means the customer does not have to map all the connections manually. We analyze the traffic and follow up on questions along the way. The customer's most important contribution is helping us understand the context: Is this known equipment? Should these systems be communicating? Is the connection still needed?
That dialogue is important. A connection that looks unexpected may have a good explanation. Other times, it uncovers something that should be cleaned up.
What does the customer get?
The health check provides an overview of observed devices and how they communicate. We also examine security conditions in the traffic and link the findings to recommended measures.
The analysis at IVAR IKS illustrates the value of this. There, traffic collected from two water treatment plants provided a basis for describing networks and equipment, showing communication patterns and recommending concrete improvements.
For the customer, this means a better basis for assessing access between systems, protection of communication and the need for further monitoring. Measures can be discussed based on what has actually been observed at the facility.
We also see in ongoing projects that the overview has value for those working with day-to-day operations. It can help them identify equipment they need to look at more closely and understand communication patterns that were previously hard to see.
We go through the results together
The delivery concludes with a review of findings and recommendations. The aim here is for the customer to understand what we have seen, why it is relevant and what should be followed up.
An overview of the network is useful in itself. It becomes even more useful when those responsible for operations and security can use it to agree on the next steps. Some issues can be clarified or corrected quickly. Others require planning with suppliers or must wait for the next maintenance window.
The health check describes what we can observe from the agreed measurement points during the period. We therefore also clarify what insight the mapping provides, and where further investigation may be needed.
A manageable place to start
My experience as a project manager is that the threshold becomes lower when the task is clearly scoped. The customer does not need to have a full overview in advance. Building that overview is exactly what we are there to help with.
With a limited effort from its own staff, the organization can gain a lot of new knowledge about its OT environment. This makes it easier to spend time and security budget where the need is greatest.
Would you like to see how this works in practice? In our webinar with IVAR IKS, which is responsible for water, wastewater and recycling, you get a closer look at how we map the OT environment and use the findings as a basis for further security work.
Watch the webinar with IVAR IKS here.
Insights from Norway’s cybersecurity experts
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Full house as IVAR IKS shared its experiences with OT security
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The Preparedness Year 2026: Are water and wastewater in Norwegian municipalities secure enough?
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Stricter Security Requirements for Critical Services from 1 October 2025 under theDigital Security Act
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Digitalization: Opportunities and New Risks
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