OT Risk Management That Works: Asset Visibility, Risk Quantification & CISO-Level Strategy

Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 27 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: OT Risk Management That Works: Asset Visibility, Risk Quantification & CISO-Level StrategyPub date: 2026-04-13Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationYou can’t manage risk you can’t measure - or even see. In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow sits down with Nicholas Friedman to explore how organizations can move beyond compliance and build real, measurable cybersecurity programs across IT and OT environments. With experience spanning banking, aerospace, and critical infrastructure, Nicholas shares how risk management principles translate across industries - and why understanding business context is critical to protecting operational systems. This conversation dives into one of the biggest challenges in OT today: asset visibility and risk quantification. From outdated spreadsheets to modern automation, Aaron and Nicholas break down what it actually takes to understand exposure, justify investment, and communicate risk at the board level. You’ll learn: Why asset inventory is the foundation of OT security How to move from compliance checklists to real risk reduction The importance of risk quantification for CISOs and executives How to communicate cybersecurity in business and financial terms The role of automation and knowledge transfer in scaling security programs Lessons from banking and aerospace applied to utilities and critical infrastructure Whether you’re leading a cybersecurity program, managing OT environments, or presenting to the board, this episode delivers practical strategies to align security with business value and measurable outcomes. Tune in to learn how to turn cybersecurity into a risk-driven, business-aligned strategy - only on Protect It All. Key Moments:  05:14 Understanding business risk basics 08:40 Building effective OT cybersecurity teams 13:26 Challenges with aging IT and OT systems 14:19 Organizing IT and OT assets 18:31 Understanding OT and IT risks 21:53 Evaluating security risks and priorities 25:31 Improving asset deployment and management 29:14 Evaluating and prioritizing risks 31:12 Shifting focus to success plans 35:59 Selling tech that delivers results 37:22 Hands-on approach to cybersecurity 42:39 Challenges with NERC audit processes 44:47 Balancing compliance and security 49:45 Challenges in power utility operations 51:55 AI, OT, and risk management 56:31 Importance of early compliance planning About the guest :  Nicholas Friedman is an enterprise risk and governance leader with 25+ years of experience across Fortune 500 companies and government sectors. He specializes in integrated risk management, compliance, and AI governance - helping organizations build scalable frameworks that align security, risk, and business resilience. How to connect Nicholas Friedman :  Linkedin :  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasfriedman/ Website : https://www.templarshield.com/ Connect With Aaron Crow: Website: www.corvosec.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow Learn more about PrOTect IT All: Email: [email protected]  Website: https://protectitall.co/  X: https://twitter.com/protectitall  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll  FaceBook:  https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at [email protected] Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts: Apple   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/protect-it-all/id1727211124 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vvi0euj3rE8xObK0yvYi4The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow | Operational Technology & Cybersecurity Host, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.