Operational technology (OT) systems are designed for longevity and redundancy. They power defense manufacturing and critical infrastructure, sometimes running unchanged for decades. But while your OT systems stay the same, the cyber threats aimed at them are always evolving and becoming more sophisticated. This creates a dangerous contradiction: the systems you trust for their stability are facing modern threats they were never built to withstand. 

Many manufacturers stick to the “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” mentality, avoiding upgrades because they disrupt production or risk valuable equipment. But as your production environment remains static, attackers continually innovate, searching out new vulnerabilities and weak spots. In fact, manufacturing was one of the most targeted sectors, with CrowdStrike reporting a staggering 300% surge in cyberattacks in 2025. 

This post explores the growing vulnerability of static OT environments. We will break down why traditional airgaps fail, how threats move laterally through your network, and why combining CMMC compliance with proactive penetration testing is the ultimate defense strategy for manufacturers. 

The hidden risk in industrial security 

The gap between long equipment lifecycles and fast-changing cyber threats is a major risk in industrial security. When you buy industrial machinery, you expect it to last for decades. But cyber threats change every few days or weeks. 

Many industrial environments run legacy, unpatched, or entirely unsupported systems. You cannot easily upgrade these machines without halting production lines or causing operational disruptions. Sometimes, the update path hits a brick wall because modern operating systems lack driver support for your legacy equipment.  

Consequently, defense manufacturers find themselves trapped. You must keep production moving to meet strict contract deadlines, but you are relying on systems that cannot defend against modern nation-state adversaries. Attackers from China, Russia, and Iran actively target these unpatched vulnerabilities to halt production or steal controlled unclassified information (CUI). 

Why the airgap myth is failing 

Historically, manufacturers relied on the “airgap” to protect their factory floors. The theory was simple: if the OT network does not connect to the internet, hackers cannot reach it.  

Unfortunately, these physical separations erode over time. Remote access tools, vendor maintenance connections, and IT/OT integrations slowly bridge the gap between your corporate network and your factory floor. A technician might plug in a USB drive to run a diagnostic, or a vendor might request remote access to troubleshoot a malfunctioning sensor. Every new connection creates unseen exposure that attackers actively scan for and exploit. 

Once an attacker breaches the IT network through a phishing email or compromised credential, the threat of lateral movement becomes very real. Flat networks allow adversaries to jump from a standard corporate laptop straight into the production systems. Because legacy OT systems lack modern security controls, the attacker faces almost no resistance once they cross that boundary and can often remain undetected.  

Why CMMC compliance demands penetration testing 

Defense manufacturers already invest serious time and money into compliance frameworks like the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). CMMC provides a vital foundation. It defines exactly where your sensitive data lives, how your systems connect, and which controls keep your environment safe. 

However, compliance alone does not guarantee security. CMMC certification shows your controls are in place, but it doesn’t guarantee they’ll hold up against real-world attacks. This is where penetration testing becomes essential. Think of it as a stress test for your entire operation. A penetration test cuts through the theory and validates whether the controls you just spent months certifying can actually stop a real-world adversary in their tracks. It reveals how an attacker might chain together small misconfigurations to access your most critical manufacturing equipment. 

Bridging the gap: CMMC and penetration testing 

Too often, defense manufacturers treat compliance and security as totally separate projects. They use different vendors, different timelines, and different scoping exercises. This results in duplicated effort, fragmented reporting, and remediation advice that ignores your compliance framework. 

When your CMMC assessor and your penetration tester understand your business context, everything becomes more efficient. CMMC already does the heavy lifting of defining your system boundaries and control implementations. When you build your penetration test on that exact same foundation, the findings transition from theoretical vulnerabilities to operational reality. 

For organizations pursuing CMMC Level 2, penetration testing serves as the most rigorous way to validate your certified controls. It gives your Affirming Official real, objective evidence to stand behind during annual attestations. For those pursuing CMMC Level 3, annual penetration testing is an explicit mandate. 

Building a cohesive defense strategy

When you bring penetration testing and CMMC compliance together, you get a holistic approach to securing your OT environment. CMMC sets the standard for how sensitive systems and data must be managed, while penetration testing proves that your controls actually work against real threats.  

This powerful combination ensures you are not just checking boxes for certification — you’re identifying and fixing the gaps before adversaries can exploit them. For defense manufacturers, integrating these two practices means stronger, more reliable protection for core operations, compliance-ready evidence for assessors, and confidence that both cyber and regulatory risks are being addressed proactively. 

Secure your OT environment  

Your OT systems may need to stay static, but your security strategy must remain dynamic. Relying on eroded airgaps and outdated operating systems leaves your production floor exposed to devastating supply chain disruptions and contract penalties. 

Do not wait for an adversary to test your defenses. By combining CMMC compliance with targeted, manufacturing-specific penetration testing, you can secure your environment and protect your most critical assets. 

Take control of your industrial security posture. Reach out to the A-LIGN team today to schedule a penetration test that maps directly to your CMMC controls, and give your organization the confidence it needs to withstand modern cyber threats.