ebookDecember 31, 2024
A Primer on Securing the Hyperconnected Enterprise
"A Primer on Securing the Hyperconnected Enterprise: 3 Key Asset Risks and How to Resolve Them" is a 2024 Ordr ebook that walks security teams through the growing risks of connected devices (IT, OT, IoT, IoMT) and offers a practical framework for gaining control — covering visibility, vulnerability management, compliance, and threat response.
What you'll learn
- Everything with a chip is a target. Any connected asset — from sensors to industrial machinery — is part of your attack surface, and a single compromise can ripple across the entire organization.
- You can't protect what you can't see. Departmental silos and tool blind spots mean many devices go unmonitored; unmanaged and legacy devices are especially risky since they often can't run security agents or receive patches.
- Attackers are exploiting hyperconnectivity. Ransomware, supply chain attacks (e.g., SolarWinds), and nation-state actors (e.g., Volt Typhoon) all specifically target connected device gaps as their initial entry point.
- Compliance and cyber insurance are raising the bar. Regulations like HIPAA and ISO 27001 require asset inventories, vulnerability management, and incident response plans that now must cover OT and IoT — not just IT.
- Three practical steps to take control: (1) identify every device on your network, (2) prioritize risk by understanding OS, software, and device criticality, and (3) take action — patch, segment, monitor behavior, and isolate critical assets.
- Segmentation is the end goal. Even devices that can't be patched or run security tools can be protected through network segmentation and behavioral monitoring.
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A Primer on Securing the Hyperconnected Enterprise
Frequently asked questions
- What are the 3 key asset risks?
- Visibility gaps (unknown/unmanaged devices), an aggressive threat landscape (ransomware, supply chain, nation-state), and mounting compliance/insurance requirements — all compounded by the scale of hyperconnected networks.
- Why are legacy and OT devices highlighted as especially dangerous?
- They're built to last decades, meaning their operating systems are often too old to patch or run modern security tools — making them persistent, hard-to-fix vulnerabilities.
- How does compliance fit in?
- Most major regulations (HIPAA, ISO 27001, etc.) share a common foundation: asset inventory, patch management, and incident response. Gaining full asset visibility helps meet multiple frameworks at once.
- What's the recommended starting point?
- Build a comprehensive asset inventory first. You can't prioritize or protect what you don't know exists — discovery is the foundation of everything else.
This resource is published by ORDR, the connected asset security company. ORDR delivers AI-powered visibility, risk assessment, and automated protection for IoT, OT, and IoMT devices across healthcare, manufacturing, government, and financial environments. Browse all resources →