How SentryWire Secures Industrial Control Systems and OT Networks

Industrial Control Systems and Operational Technology full packet capture solutions give operators complete visibility into critical infrastructure networks. These solutions help detect anomalies, prevent disruptions, and support compliance. SentryWire delivers reliable tools to strengthen ICS and OT environments against evolving cyber threats.

Bridging the IT-OT Security Gap

SentryWire creates unified visibility across converged IT-OT environments, enabling security teams to detect lateral movement before it reaches critical control systems. Our platform speaks the language of industrial networks—parsing Modbus, DNP3, OPC-UA, and other specialized protocols that traditional IT security tools may omit entirely.

This deep protocol understanding links cyber events to physical outcomes, helping engineers validate that control commands produce expected results. When anomalies occur, teams can instantly determine whether issues stem from cyberattacks, equipment malfunctions, or misconfigurations.

Intelligent Analysis Beyond Raw Capture

Our deep packet inspection generates comprehensive flow records and behavioral baselines, enabling statistical anomaly detection that identifies threats before they escalate. The platform learns normal communication patterns between industrial devices, flagging deviations that could indicate compromise or operational issues.

Real-time correlation engines connect network events across multiple data sources, while customizable dashboards present packet volumes, protocol distributions, and alert trends aligned to your compliance requirements. During incidents, complete packet replay eliminates guesswork—showing exactly what happened, when, and how to respond.

Enterprise-Grade Features for Critical Infrastructure

Performance Without Compromise
Line-rate capture with zero packet loss, maintaining full fidelity even at peak loads. Unlike solutions that compress or summarize, SentryWire preserves complete packets in their native state for defensible forensics.

Flexible Retention Architecture
Tiered storage optimizes cost and performance—high-speed disks for recent data, economical archives for long-term retention. Retain packets for days, months, or years based on operational and compliance needs.

Compliance-Ready Documentation
Aligns with NERC CIP, IEC 62443, and NIST frameworks. Every packet is preserved in court-admissible format with a complete chain of custody for regulatory audits and incident validation.

Seamless Integration
Export to existing SIEM and SOAR platforms via JSON or Syslog. Enrich other security tools with packet-level evidence while maintaining centralized event management across your security stack.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure Where It Matters Most

Energy companies deploy SentryWire across generation, transmission, and distribution networks where visibility gaps could lead to cascading failures. Water utilities secure treatment and distribution systems from both external threats and insider risks. Transportation authorities protect everything from traffic management to railway signaling systems.

Our platform excels in air-gapped environments where internal traffic monitoring is critical for detecting insider threats and lateral movement. For manufacturing operations, we protect both industrial processes and the intellectual property flowing across OT networks.

Measurable Security Outcomes

Organizations using SentryWire report:

  • Faster incident response through instant packet replay and root cause analysis

  • Reduced operational downtime by quickly distinguishing cyber events from equipment issues

  • Improved compliance posture with comprehensive audit trails and forensic capabilities

  • Enhanced network reliability through the detection of both security threats and performance bottlenecks

SentryWire transforms ICS security from reactive guesswork to proactive defense, providing the complete visibility needed to protect critical infrastructure in an evolving threat landscape.

Use Cases and Industry Applications

  • Power generation and transmission networks demand zero-compromise visibility. SentryWire excels in segmented and air-gapped environments common to energy infrastructure, capturing every packet without breaking network isolation. Our platform provides the forensic replay capabilities that grid operators need to instantly determine whether anomalies stem from cyberattacks, equipment failures, or misconfigurations—critical distinctions when outages can cascade across entire regions.

    The platform's deep understanding of DNP3, IEC 61850, and other energy-sector protocols ensures complete visibility into SCADA communications, substation automation, and generation control systems. This protocol intelligence, combined with our proven ability to scale from distribution substations to transmission operations centers, makes SentryWire the trusted choice for utilities meeting NERC CIP compliance requirements.


  • Modern manufacturing depends on precise, synchronized communication between thousands of industrial devices. SentryWire captures and analyzes every Modbus, OPC-UA, and proprietary protocol exchange, identifying unauthorized commands or behavioral anomalies before they disrupt production. Our replay capabilities let engineers verify that control changes produce expected results, ensuring processes remain within operational parameters.

    The platform's ability to link network events to physical outcomes proves invaluable when diagnosing production issues. Teams can instantly determine whether quality problems result from network latency, misconfigured PLCs, or malicious interference—accelerating root cause analysis from hours to minutes.


  • Upstream and downstream operations involve complex protocol interactions across geographically distributed assets. SentryWire validates every communication between field RTUs and control systems, ensuring data integrity from wellheads to refineries. This comprehensive visibility reduces operational downtime, detects tampering attempts, and accelerates incident response across remote locations.

    Our centralized monitoring architecture aggregates packet data from offshore platforms, pipelines, and processing facilities into unified dashboards. Global operators maintain consistent security standards across all sites while local teams retain granular visibility for site-specific troubleshooting. This dual-layer approach supports both corporate compliance requirements and operational excellence.


  • Rail networks, airports, and transit authorities rely on SentryWire to monitor signaling systems, traffic management, and operational control networks. The platform captures command traffic and system polling data that could indicate either security breaches or safety-critical malfunctions. This real-time visibility enables rapid isolation of affected components and immediate corrective action.

    Beyond security, our trending analysis identifies equipment degradation before failures occur. By analyzing packet timing and protocol behavior over time, maintenance teams can predict and prevent costly service disruptions, improving both safety and reliability.


  • Water treatment and distribution systems face unique challenges—any compromise could affect public health. SentryWire monitors SCADA communications across treatment plants, pumping stations, and distribution networks, detecting unauthorized changes to chemical dosing, flow rates, or system pressures before they impact water quality.

    The platform's ability to operate in isolated OT environments proves essential for water utilities, where air-gapped networks are standard practice. Internal traffic monitoring detects insider threats and lateral movement that perimeter defenses miss, providing the defense-in-depth required for critical infrastructure protection.


The Importance of Complete Visibility

Visibility defines security in industrial environments. Without complete awareness of network activity, even the most advanced defenses can fail to identify critical threats in time. SentryWire gives organizations the clarity they need to operate with confidence by capturing every packet, correlating every event, and revealing the full picture of what is happening across their ICS and OT networks.

Request a demo today to see how SentryWire can enhance your ICS Cybersecurity strategy. Schedule a visibility assessment to identify gaps and discover how total packet-level insight supports stronger operational control.

FAQs

  • ICS networks face risks from ransomware, unauthorized access, and misconfigurations that can impact system performance or safety. The convergence of IT and OT introduces additional exposure if visibility is limited.

  • IT cybersecurity emphasizes data confidentiality, while ICS cybersecurity prioritizes operational continuity and process reliability. Disruption in ICS environments can lead to physical damage, production loss, or safety incidents.

  • SentryWire provides continuous packet capture, enabling analysts to replay incidents in detail. This allows teams to verify root causes, confirm impact, and implement targeted remediation without assumptions.

  • Yes. SentryWire operates effectively in isolated networks, storing packet data locally while maintaining capture accuracy. This capability supports highly controlled environments with strict separation requirements.

  • Yes. SentryWire supports both frameworks by providing comprehensive logging, replay capability, and defensible audit trails aligned with compliance standards.

  • Organizations can configure SentryWire’s retention settings to meet operational or regulatory needs. The platform allows storage from short-term monitoring to multi-year retention, maintaining data accessibility and integrity.

  • Traditional monitoring tools rely on summarized data that can overlook critical details. Full packet capture records every communication in full context, providing the accuracy required for investigation, performance analysis, and compliance.

    SentryWire’s ICS Cybersecurity solutions provide the visibility, precision, and reliability needed to safeguard critical operations. By capturing every packet and correlating every event, SentryWire helps organizations maintain control, meet compliance goals, and secure the systems that keep industry running.


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