Top Free & Open-Source Industrial Cybersecurity Tools For Manufacturing

Industrial cybersecurity has become a critical layer in modern manufacturing. As factories adopt connected MES, SCADA, and IIoT systems, protecting operational technology (OT) from cyber threats is as important as maintaining uptime. Open-source security tools now provide manufacturers with powerful ways to monitor, detect, and defend industrial networks — without relying solely on costly commercial suites.

1. Wazuh

Best for: unified security monitoring and threat detection.
Wazuh is an enterprise-grade open-source SIEM and XDR platform. It collects security events from endpoints, servers, and OT gateways, correlating them through rules and dashboards. Integrates well with industrial DMZs and network sensors.
License: GPLv2 / Open Source.
Used by: energy and manufacturing firms across Europe for SOC integration and audit compliance.

2. Zeek (formerly Bro)

Best for: deep industrial network analysis.
Zeek is a powerful network security monitor that inspects traffic across ICS and IT segments. It’s widely used to detect anomalies, unauthorized protocols, or suspicious control communications.
License: BSD / Open Source.
Used by: automotive and energy cybersecurity labs for OT packet analysis and network forensics.

3. Security Onion

Best for: full-stack SOC and intrusion detection.
Security Onion bundles Zeek, Suricata, Wazuh, and Elasticsearch into a turnkey Linux distribution. Provides visualization, alerts, and dashboards for both IT and OT networks.
License: GPL / Open Source.
Used by: industrial cybersecurity teams and universities for monitoring and red team training.

4. Snort 3

Best for: real-time intrusion prevention and detection.
Developed by Cisco, Snort is one of the most widely used open-source IDS/IPS engines. Supports Modbus and DNP3 rule sets for industrial traffic, making it practical for SCADA and control environments.
License: GPL / Open Source.
Used by: manufacturing plants and OT security research groups for inline detection and threat prevention.

5. Suricata

Best for: high-performance packet inspection and threat detection.
Suricata is an open-source network threat detection engine capable of inspecting industrial protocols and encrypted traffic. It can work standalone or feed logs to Wazuh or ELK.
License: GPLv2 / Open Source.
Used by: system integrators building industrial firewalls and OT IDS appliances.

6. OpenVAS / Greenbone Vulnerability Manager

Best for: industrial asset and network vulnerability scanning.
OpenVAS scans IT and OT networks for vulnerabilities, outdated firmware, or misconfigured devices. Its database includes industrial control components and automation systems.
License: GPL / Open Source.
Used by: industrial IT/OT auditors and cybersecurity teams for periodic vulnerability assessments.

7. Kali Linux (Industrial Pentest Build)

Best for: red teaming and penetration testing of control networks.
Kali Linux remains the de facto toolkit for security professionals. Specialized industrial editions include tools for Modbus, BACnet, and S7 protocol testing.
License: GPL / Open Source.
Used by: cybersecurity consultants and plant red teams to assess control system exposure.

8. GRR Rapid Response

Best for: digital forensics and remote incident response.
GRR is an open-source remote forensics platform used to collect evidence, logs, and memory dumps from compromised hosts. In OT networks, it’s used to isolate infected engineering workstations or HMI servers.
License: Apache 2.0 / Open Source.
Used by: security operations teams in industrial enterprises and CERTs.

9. Nmap + Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE)

Best for: industrial network discovery and port scanning.
Nmap helps map networks, detect connected PLCs, HMIs, and servers, and identify unauthorized devices. NSE scripts extend detection to specific ICS protocols and services.
License: GPLv2 / Open Source.
Used by: IT/OT teams for baseline asset mapping and network segmentation validation.

10. TheHive + Cortex

Best for: incident response coordination.
TheHive (incident management) and Cortex (analysis engine) form an open-source SOAR stack. They help track alerts from Wazuh, Zeek, or Suricata, automate responses, and manage investigation workflows.
License: AGPLv3 / Open Source.
Used by: industrial SOCs and national CERTs coordinating OT incident handling.

Cybersecurity Solutions Comparison Table

Recommendations

For real-time OT network defense, Wazuh, Suricata, and Zeek form a robust open stack — capable of detecting anomalies, logging traffic, and visualizing threats. When coupled with TheHive + Cortex, manufacturers can build a complete SOAR workflow at zero license cost.

For vulnerability and compliance management, OpenVAS complements these systems by scanning control networks for outdated firmware or unsecured endpoints. Meanwhile, Security Onion offers an all-in-one SOC appliance that’s easy to deploy.

Red teams and auditors can rely on Kali Linux and Nmap to validate segmentation and test resilience before attackers do.

Industrial networks can no longer rely on isolation as a security strategy. Open-source cybersecurity tools like Wazuh, Zeek, and Suricata give manufacturers the means to protect their production environments with transparency, auditability, and community-backed innovation. When integrated with MES, SCADA, and IIoT layers, these systems build the foundation for a secure, modern, and resilient factory in 2025.

About MDCplus

Our key features are real-time machine monitoring for swift issue resolution, power consumption tracking to promote sustainability, computerized maintenance management to reduce downtime, and vibration diagnostics for predictive maintenance. MDCplus's solutions are tailored for diverse industries, including aerospace, automotive, precision machining, and heavy industry. By delivering actionable insights and fostering seamless integration, we empower manufacturers to boost Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduce operational costs, and achieve sustainable growth along with future planning.