What are Threat Simulations?
Threat Simulations are controlled exercises in which realistic cyber attacks are imitated to test how well an organisation can detect, analyse and handle threats.
In OT environments, threat simulations help test procedures, systems and people without putting production at risk.
🧠 How do Threat Simulations work?
- An attack scenario is drawn up, based on real techniques such as those from MITRE ATT&CK for ICS
- The simulation is carried out by internal teams or external parties (e.g. Red Team)
- Monitoring and security teams (Blue Team, SOC) must recognise, analyse and respond to the attack
- Afterwards, an evaluation (debrief) is held to improve detection capability, response and collaboration
- Simulations may range from:
- Tabletop exercises – on paper only, with scenarios
- Live tests – in segregated or simulated OT environments
- Purple Team exercises – collaboration between attack and defence
Threat simulations are an essential part of security maturity and incident response readiness.
🏭 Application of Threat Simulations in industrial networks
- Practising the detection of misuse of legitimate accounts on the Engineering Station
- Simulating ransomware spread within the OT network
- Testing segmentation between SCADA systems and field level (PLC, Drives)
- Validating logging and alerting in SIEM
- Evaluating communication and escalation between OT and IT during incidents
In an OT context, threat simulations are often run in an offline test environment, or with read-only monitoring.
🔍 Types of Threat Simulations
| Type | Description | Risk level |
|---|---|---|
| Tabletop exercise | Theoretical simulation, no live action | Low |
| Red Team assessment | Realistic attack by ethical hackers | Medium to high |
| Purple Teaming | Collaboration between Red & Blue Team | Balanced |
| Adversary Emulation | Full imitation of known threat actors | High (test environment recommended) |
🔐 Security aspects
- Only run live simulations in closed test environments or with clear impact controls
- Simulations must be coordinated in advance with OT and production owners
- Log and analyse every phase of the exercise via SIEM or SOAR
- Link scenarios to techniques from MITRE ATT&CK or TTPs of known threat actors
- Have a clear Incident Response Plan in place to prevent real disruption
Threat simulations expose vulnerabilities that often remain invisible in audits or Pentests.
📌 In summary
Threat Simulations help organisations test their OT security under realistic conditions and are crucial for increasing resilience against cyber attacks. Through regular practice, response and detection are continuously improved.