Define the operating boundary
A useful definition names the triggering event, required inputs, governing source, accountable owner, decision or action, exception path, evidence retained, and downstream handoff. Buyers should adapt those elements to their own population, jurisdictions, policies, systems, and control model before writing requirements.
The most important distinction is between a label and an operational capability. A provider may document passive OT asset discovery and inventory while depending on customer-supplied policy, licensed content, third-party data, integration partners, manual review, or services. The demonstration should expose those dependencies rather than hiding them behind a completed interface.
What a demonstration should prove
- Begin with representative source records and a named policy, standard, or controlled rule.
- Show the normal path, an ambiguous case, missing data, an exception, an override, and a material source change.
- Identify who can change rules, who can approve or reject, and how accountability is preserved.
- Trace every output back to inputs, versions, timestamps, user actions, and governing evidence.
- Export the resulting record and reconcile it with downstream systems and retained obligations.
Authority and operating context
NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 3
NIST describes OT topologies, threats, vulnerabilities, safeguards, and risk-management considerations while recognizing performance, reliability, and safety requirements. Provider and architecture claims can be tested against a mature OT-specific control context without pretending the guide certifies a product or environment.
CISA CPGs
CISA publishes a prioritized set of cybersecurity practices intended to reduce common and consequential risks across critical-infrastructure sectors. The CPGs give buyers a risk-reduction lens for access, segmentation, backups, inventory, monitoring, incident response, and supplier decisions.
Joint OT asset inventory guidance
The joint guide describes a regularly updated OT asset inventory and taxonomy tied to function and criticality as a foundation for risk, vulnerability, architecture, and incident-response work. It raises the evaluation bar from device counts to governed identity, taxonomy, criticality, ownership, dependency, lifecycle, and use across operating functions.
NERC CIP-015-1
CIP-015-1 requires documented processes for internal network security monitoring of specified high- and medium-impact BES cyber-system environments, including data feeds, anomaly detection, evaluation, and evidence. The standard creates a concrete evidence and operating-model test for network telemetry, anomaly detection, evaluation, escalation, and record retention.
Operating domains
Asset inventory, context, and lifecycle
The maintained operating record for each OT asset's identity, role, location, owner, criticality, communications, dependencies, versions, configuration, support state, exposure, and recovery relevance.
Evidence and comparison limits
Official provider documentation can establish product positioning. Provider confirmation can clarify package or availability. Independent observation requires a disclosed scenario, environment, date, inputs, and reproducible result. None of those sources alone establishes buyer-specific legal, clinical, regulatory, quality, or operational fitness.
Buyer questions
- What exact outcome and evidence should passive OT asset discovery and inventory produce?
- Which source, version, and customer facts govern the workflow?
- Which decisions remain human and who is accountable for them?
- What is native, configured, integrated, service-delivered, or planned?
- How does a changed source affect open and historical records?
Recent changes
Accenture announces agreements involving Dragos, runZero, and NetRise — The proposed combination could alter ownership, packaging, data, services, partner relationships, and the OT security market architecture.
ServiceNow completes the Armis acquisition — Buyers need current evidence for product identity, packaging, workflow, data governance, integrations, and organizational responsibility after the ownership change.
CISA partners release OT asset inventory guidance — Product evaluation should test collection coverage, identity, context, criticality, confidence, ownership, lifecycle, and safe use rather than device counts.
FERC approves NERC CIP-015-1 — Covered entities need evidence for selected network feeds, anomaly detection, evaluation, escalation, and implementation within controlling scope and dates.