Detection Engineering for a Critical Infrastructure Operator

December 10, 2025
detection-engineeringenergyOTICS

Challenge

A European energy provider operating both traditional IT infrastructure and operational technology (OT) environments needed a unified detection strategy. Their existing SIEM had minimal coverage of ICS-specific threats, and detection rules were managed manually with no version control or testing.

Approach

Crimson7's detection engineering team implemented a comprehensive detection-as-code program:

  • Mapped the client's environment to MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise and ICS frameworks
  • Developed detection rules in a structured, version-controlled format
  • Built automated testing pipelines for rule validation before deployment
  • Created custom detections for Modbus, DNP3, and OPC-UA protocol anomalies

Results

The program delivered over 120 production-ready detection rules covering both IT and OT environments. The detection-as-code pipeline reduced rule deployment time from days to hours, and ICS-specific MITRE ATT&CK coverage reached 85%.