Unified Cybersecurity Asset Risk Management
Unified Cybersecurity Asset Risk Management is a framework that focuses on managing the risks associated with an organization’s digital assets and infrastructure. In today’s interconnected world, where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and pervasive, it’s crucial for organizations to adopt a holistic approach to cybersecurity risk management.
Let’s consider a simple scenario – you have Lexmark printers connected across several locations in your organization through different interfaces. A simple question arises – who determine the risk level for that asset across the organization while its connected using different interfaces.
How Different Cybersecurity Solutions Impact Asset Risk Management
Some printers are connected in your OT environment where they are managed by cybersecurity solution A, while others are connected in your IT administrative environment where they are managed by cybersecurity solution B.
Why is that? Why should their risk managed differently? – For years, the approach has focused on differentiating between the business-critical OT environment and the standard IT back-office environment. Significant investments have been made to airgap the OT environment. This ensures that external threats cannot disrupt business continuity.
From a business risk management perspective, consider the following. In the energy sector, your IT infrastructure handles shipments, procurement, and logistics. If it comes under attack, you can’t ship gasoline. This disruption affects your ability to meet business goals.
Even if your OT environment remains operational, it does not ensure business continuity.
Additionally, when an external subcontractor comes in to debug or upgrade PLCs, RTUs, or HMIs using their laptop, risks arise. Their laptop connects to their IT infrastructure. Your OT cybersecurity solution doesn’t manage this risk, yet it significantly impacts overall risk levels.
So having a unified cybersecurity asset risk factor (ARF) is crucial in generating complete situational awareness to all your risks – without the abstract distinction of IT/OT/IoT.
The Impact of Connection Interfaces on Asset Risk Management
An even stranger “ownership” anomaly exists: the interface through which the Lexmark connects determines who owns its asset risk management. The same Lexmark printer can connect to the Internet using different interfaces. It supports USB, wired Ethernet, and WiFi connections. So, who owns its asset risk?
If it connects over USB, the device control within the XDR manages it.
If it’s connected over wired Ethernet, then it’s up to your NAC/ZTNA/other network security solution.
Lastly, if it’s connected over WiFi, then there’s a third Wireless monitoring solution responsible for it.
You can easily spot the issue here. Three different solutions exist for the same asset. Each solution has its own risk management scaling scheme. These solutions operate in silos, assuming the organization has them all in place. This is a sure recipe for disaster.
The Importance of Unified Cybersecurity
An asset is an asset with certain elements of inherent risk. The fact that it is located within a certain part of the organization or that it is connected through a specific interface should not change the way we manage this risk. Converging IT/OT/IoT in your organization and being indifferent to the interface type used by the asset is a key component in better managing the risks related to a certain asset, so that when a new vulnerability is found, getting a quick answer for the questions – Do we have this type of asset? Which interface this vulnerability applies to, would be just a couple of clicks away…
Sepio’s Unified Cybersecurity Platform
A New Standard in Asset Risk Management.
A New Dimension of Asset Visibility
Sepio unlocks asset visibility at the physical layer, exposing the true source of cyber-physical risk that conventional tools miss. By going beyond behavioral and software-based monitoring, Sepio provides an unparalleled, objective view of your entire asset ecosystem, including IT, OT, IoT, and peripheral devices. Seamlessly integrating with your existing security stack, Sepio maximizes ROI by enhancing tools with visibility that was previously unattainable, enabling scalable, vendor-agnostic, and actionable asset intelligence.
Objective, Holistic Asset Intelligence
Sepio profiles every device using its unique Asset DNA, identifying assets regardless of spoofing, lack of identifiers, or deceptive behavior. Unlike traditional solutions that rely on behavioral patterns prone to false positives and blind spots, Sepio’s patented physical layer technology delivers reliable, zero-assumption visibility across all Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). The result: precise, real-time intelligence that eliminates guesswork and strengthens your organization’s risk posture.
Real-Time Risk Scoring and Prioritization
Sepio automatically assigns a dynamic Asset Risk Score based on a combination of Asset DNA, business context, physical location, and custom-defined rules. Assets are categorized as high, medium, or low risk, empowering security teams to prioritize threats, address compliance requirements, and prevent incidents before they escalate. Continuous monitoring tracks changes in asset behavior or status, triggering real-time alerts. Sepio also leverages machine learning, big data analytics, and OSINT feeds to refine risk insights and optimize response.
Granular Control with Automated Enforcement
Gain precise control over hardware access with custom policy enforcement based on asset attributes, risk level, vendor, or tags. Sepio’s integration with third-party systems like NAC, SOAR, and SIEM enables automated mitigation, blocking unauthorized or malicious devices in real-time. Whether it’s a rogue USB or a spoofed network printer, Sepio ensures immediate, hands-free response, reducing manual effort and eliminating the attack surface at the physical layer.
Ready to enhance your organization’s cybersecurity posture? Schedule a demo to explore Sepio’s innovative solutions for Unified Cybersecurity Asset Risk Management!
