{"id":3172,"date":"2026-06-12T07:32:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T07:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inprotech.es\/?p=3172"},"modified":"2026-06-12T07:32:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T07:32:19","slug":"inprotech-guardian-and-the-purdue-model-ot-segmentation-in-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inprotech.es\/en\/inprotech-guardian-and-the-purdue-model-ot-segmentation-in-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"InprOTech Guardian and the Purdue Model: OT Segmentation in Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Segmenting an OT network well is not just about separating teams. It consists of understanding functions, dependencies and real flows to reduce risk without losing operability.<\/span><\/p>\n

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OT Network Map with Purdue Tiering in Guardian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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In industrial cybersecurity, seeing the network is not enough. What is relevant, from a technical and risk management point of view, is to understand what function each asset fulfills, at what operational level it works and what impact unforeseen communication between areas would have. In this context, the <\/span>Purdue Model<\/b> continues to be a useful reference for structuring OT environments, and <\/span>InprOTech Guardian<\/b> allows this conceptual framework to be transferred to an observable and maintained inventory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guardian allows you to maintain a structured device list, classify assets by Purdue tier, differentiate authorized and unauthorized equipment,\u00a0 and flag critical devices\u00a0 to avoid unnecessary active interactions. This foundation is especially valuable when the organization needs to move from an OT network that is difficult to govern to an architecture that can\u00a0 be technically and normatively analyzed, justified, and improved, especially in projects aligned with <\/span>IEC 62443<\/b>. The Purdue view of the network map organizes devices by tier, allowing you to identify at a glance the actual structure of the environment and communications between tiers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is the Purdue Model still useful?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Purdue Model was developed at Purdue University in the early 1990s as a framework for integrated manufacturing (PERA), and is the conceptual basis adopted by IEC 62443 and ISA-95. Today it is still a clear way of <\/span>ordering the industrial environment by function and exposure<\/b>. It’s not just about drawing layers, it’s about <\/span>reducing risk, limiting lateral movement, and establishing coherent communication rules<\/b> that can be sustained in operation.<\/span><\/p>\n

In practical terms, Guardian helps translate that model into the organization’s actual inventory:<\/span><\/p>\n