> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# An OT Pen Test Conversation: Tester Intent vs. Asset Owner Reality
- URL: https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/an-ot-pen-test-conversation-tester-intent-vs-asset-owner-reality/
- Published: 2026-04-17T14:13:36.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-17T14:13:36.000Z
- Author: Lauren Andrus
- Tags: OT.SEC.CON. 2026, video, OT Security, Penetration Testing

**Presenters:**

- [Reynaldo Gonzalez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/reynaldoglz/?ref=cybrsecmedia.com)
- [Oren Niskin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenniskin/?ref=cybrsecmedia.com)

This talk zeroes in on the disconnect between **what security testers think they’re evaluating and what asset owners actually care about**. In OT environments especially, that gap leads to findings that don’t translate into meaningful risk reduction.

[Subscribe to the CYBR.SEC.Media newsletter](#/portal/signup/free)

## **Key takeaways**

- **Tester intent ≠ operational reality**
  - Pentesters focus on technical exploits and attack paths
  - Asset owners care about **safety, uptime, and process impact**
  - The two perspectives rarely align
- **Findings often lack real-world context**
  - Reports highlight what *can* be exploited
  - But not what would actually matter operationally
  - This creates noise instead of actionable insight
- **Risk is defined differently in OT**
  - IT: data loss, access, confidentiality
  - OT: **physical impact, downtime, safety risks**
  - If findings don’t map to these, they get deprioritized
- **Communication is the failure point**
  - Security teams speak in vulnerabilities
  - Operators think in process disruption
  - Without translation, findings don’t drive action
- **Testing needs to reflect operational impact**
  - What systems are truly critical?
  - What failure would actually stop production?
  - What’s exploitable *and* consequential?

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ab/67/ab676516-71e3-473d-8f73-9e0692f5aaee/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-27-at-8.47.35---AM.png)](https://www.cybrsecmedia.com/conference/)