Over 200 new vulnerabilities every day - 
but which ones affect your OT? 

Every day, hundreds of new vulnerability entries are published in public CVE databases around the world. For OT security teams, this means a constant flood of information - with one critical question: Which of these vulnerabilities are relevant to my environment? 

Not every vulnerability is critical, but which ones are? 

In traditional IT environments, much of this can be handled with automated tools and standardized processes. In OT, however, things are much more complex. We're not just talking about software patches - we're talking about physical production systems with long lifecycles, the need for continuous uptime, and heavy reliance on proprietary technology. 

The core challenge: Lack of context. 

Without a clear understanding of specific assets, their role in the production process, and their exposure within the network topology, vulnerability prioritization remains guesswork. The result: 

• Either every vulnerability is addressed "just to be safe"-which wastes time and resources 
• or risks are ignored-potentially leaving critical gaps unpatched.

CVSS scores alone aren't enough  

CVSS scores are a helpful tool, but they don't reflect operational risk. A high CVSS score doesn't automatically mean high criticality in the real world.  For example: A vulnerability in a device that's physically isolated, not connected to the control room, and rarely used is far less urgent than a medium-risk issue in a PLC that sits at the heart of your production line. 

What you really need is a risk assessment based on operational relevance: 

• Is the affected system even in use at your site? 
• Is it accessible - over the network or physically? 
• What role does it play in your operations? 
• What would be the impact of its failure? 

It's a known problem - but not solved  

Many organizations are aware of this challenge. But effective action is often stymied by fundamental problems: lack of asset visibility, siloed IT and OT security efforts, and overstretched teams constantly juggling production and security. 

What can help in practice are context-aware systems-solutions that link vulnerability data with asset information, assess risk based on real operational impact, and enable targeted responses. That's how a flood of CVEs becomes a manageable to-do list. 

Read our latest white paper to learn how to prioritize based on context, meet regulatory requirements, and take control of OT vulnerability management: "The Critical Importance of OT Security and Vulnerability Management."