By Richard Robinson, CEO, Cynalytica – July 2, 2025
In the world of industrial cybersecurity, there is a falsehood that is repeated so often it is almost accepted wisdom: that partial visibility is good enough.
I have been in this industry long enough to know better. And I will candidly tell you that without complete capture and analysis of all ICS/OT communications, from Level 0 field devices to Level 3 supervisory networks, you simply do not have sufficient visibility or situational awareness of your environment.
Unfortunately, many security vendors still tell operators it is unnecessary to monitor the lower levels of their systems. Others claim they are already doing it safely and securely. They are not completely honest with you.
Why Full Visibility Matters More Than Ever
Today’s threats are evolving faster than ever. Cyber-physical attacks are growing more sophisticated and with the rise of AI, adversaries now have tools to probe industrial processes and craft highly tailored attacks at scale.
Previous Legacy monitoring tools focused only on IP traffic at Levels 2 and 3. This leaves enormous blind spots in lower-level communication, analog signals, serial protocols and proprietary device chatter where the real physical control happens between field devices and controllers.
If you are not collecting and monitoring these levels of communication, you are vulnerable to exactly the kinds of attacks that can take down critical infrastructure and threaten public safety.
Building CyRenLAB — With Operators in Mind
At Cynalytica, we built CyRenLAB because we know the industry desperately needs a better solution. But we also know something else: even the best technology is useless if operators cannot deploy it quickly and start seeing results.
This is why we deliver CyRenLAB around two of my favorite philosophies:
- Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast — We built CyRenLAB to tackle the massive challenge of full ICS/OT visibility, but we made sure teams could start small, deploy quickly, and expand as they gain confidence.
- Land Then Optimize — We focus on getting operators up and running fast, delivering immediate value, and then helping them refine and optimize their monitoring as they grow.
We did not want CyRenLAB to be another massive project that requires armies of additional resources, huge budgets, or specialized expertise just to get started.
Instead, we make it practical and accessible. With CyRenLAB, operators can quickly capture and analyze data across all ICS/OT levels without needing to hire additional resources or build complex custom integrations.
Beyond Cybersecurity — Turning Visibility Into ROI
Another myth in this industry is that ICS/OT cybersecurity is purely a cost center. That is wrong. With the right tools, data can drive operational insights and create significant business value. CyRenLAB enables operators to analyze field device communications that were previously invisible.
That means:
- Detecting subtle process inefficiencies
- Predicting maintenance needs before equipment fails
- Improving safety and compliance
- Finding ways to optimize production and reduce costs
CyRenLAB helps transform security investments into an engine for ROI and not just a protective expense.
The Time to Act Is Now
The convergence of cyber and physical threats, fueled by AI innovation, has changed the game for critical infrastructure. Blind spots are no longer acceptable.
CyRenLAB gives you the practical, scalable way to start closing those gaps right now. My message to operators is simple:
- Think big about what complete visibility can do for your security and operations.
- Start small by deploying CyRenLAB or CyRenAIR quickly in one area of your network.
- Scale fast once you see how powerful full-spectrum visibility truly is.
It is time to land, then optimize and finally put an end to the dangerous illusion that partial visibility is enough. I invite you to explore CyRenLAB and see how Cynalytica can help you secure your operations, reduce complexity, and drive meaningful value for your business.
Richard Robinson
CEO, Cynalytica
About Richard Robinson
Richard Robinson, CEO of Cynalytica, has dedicated his career to tackling some of the most complex challenges in securing critical infrastructure. He is a former Chief Information Officer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Laboratory. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Intelligence from Georgetown University, deepening his expertise in understanding and countering sophisticated threats and has also earned the (ACE) Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology from MIT Sloan School of Management.