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6 Dec 2024

Industry:Manufacturing

4 min reading time

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A robotic arm in a manufacturing environment.

A leading US manufacturing company with 5,000-10,000 employees, now a valued Chaleit client, approached us with what initially appeared to be a straightforward security assessment request.

However, this engagement evolved into a transformative security visibility project that redefined their approach to asset management and security operations.

The challenge

The challenge emerged following an initial external attack surface assessment. While the preliminary assessment was well-received by the technical team, the CISO identified a critical gap: they lacked confidence in their understanding of their complete asset inventory.

The key issues were:

  • Limited visibility of their true external attack surface

  • Uncertainty about the completeness of their asset inventory

  • Reliance on tool-generated data that didn't provide the full picture

  • Need for a way to prioritise security efforts across their asset base

The CISO highlighted the urgent need to look beyond their existing toolset and think laterally about their security infrastructure. Standard tools and approaches weren't providing the full picture — they needed to cast a wider net and think differently about how to gain comprehensive visibility.

They requested a broader, internet-wide scan to identify additional assets and provide a more complete picture of security.

The solution

Chaleit proposed a comprehensive approach that went beyond traditional security assessment methods.

We structured the solution in two key phases:

Phase 1: Discovery and analysis

  • Deployed open-source infrastructure for broad-scale asset discovery

  • Conducted extensive OSINT research on acquisitions and historical assets

  • Analysed records dating back to the 2000s using various sources

  • Created a comprehensive inventory of assets across all acquisitions

Phase 2: Prioritization and structure

  • Developed a dynamic prioritisation framework based on four key risk factors:

    • Sensitive service exposure

    • Outdated component usage

    • Publicly exposed admin portals

    • Open port analysis

  • Created a formula-driven Excel model for automatic risk prioritisation

  • Implemented a clear high/medium/low classification system

  • Provided detailed documentation for sustainable use

Throughout the process, we maintained close collaboration with the client team, ensuring the solution would be both practical and sustainable.

The entire initiative was completed within a week, demonstrating our ability to deliver high-value results under tight timeframes.

The outcome and aftermath

The project yielded significant positive outcomes across the organisation.

Enhanced visibility

  • Identified approximately 500 assets across their attack surface

  • Discovered previously unknown acquisitions, including operations in China

  • Created a single source of truth for asset inventory

Improved operations

  • Established a clear prioritisation framework for security assessments

  • Successfully assessed 400 out of 500 identified assets

  • Created a sustainable model for ongoing asset discovery and assessment

Organisational impact

  • Transformed from zero visibility to comprehensive asset awareness

  • Enabled data-driven security investment decisions

  • Established a systematic process for asset assessment and owner identification 

The collaboration has evolved into a long-term partnership, with the client now proactively approaching Chaleit for additional security initiatives.

"They're now actively engaged, brainstorming potential projects for us to evaluate. This demonstrates the trust we've built," noted a Chaleit team member.

Key takeaways

  1. Traditional transactional security assessments often fail to address underlying visibility challenges.
  2. Successful security programs require ongoing collaboration rather than point-in-time assessments.
  3. Practical, usable solutions often outperform complex technical implementations.
  4. Building trust through demonstrated value leads to more strategic security partnerships.
  5. Enhanced collaboration and value delivery were achieved within traditional assessment budgets, demonstrating exceptional return on investment.

The engagement demonstrates how Chaleit's Cyber Security Partnership approach transforms security testing from a compliance exercise into a valuable business asset.

If you'd also like to benefit from cyber security services that go beyond traditional assessments and transform your security visibility challenges into strategic advantages, contact us.

Our partnership approach and the combination of technical excellence and deep business understanding might be exactly what your organisation needs to achieve both immediate security improvements and long-term operational excellence.

Contact us

Find out more about Partnership in Practice.

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About this article

Industries:

  • Manufacturing

Service Areas:

  • Cyber Security Partnership

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