NIST SP 1800-45: Secure Remote Access Architectures for Water and Wastewater OT

Historical analysis: this article examines information published by the source on June 24, 2026. Check the latest vendor guidance before acting.

What was published

On June 24, 2026, the NIST National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) released the final version of Special Publication (SP) 1800-45, titled “Cybersecurity for the Water and Wastewater Sector: Build Architecture.” This publication serves as a practice guide developed from previous work published as draft NIST Technical Note 2283.

Status and scope

The guidance is a final publication intended for water and wastewater organizations across various sizes and resource levels. Its primary scope is the secure enablement of remote access to operational technology (OT). The architectures described were developed through collaboration with industry experts, technology vendors, and utilities, and were demonstrated in a lab environment using commercially available technologies.

What the guidance covers

The publication addresses the increased cybersecurity risks introduced by the digital transformation of water utility management—specifically the integration of internet-connected sensors, network devices, data collection tools, and analytic software. It provides reference architectures and sample implementations designed to allow remote access to OT assets while mitigating the exposure paths created by these connected technologies.

How organizations can use it

Infrastructure owners and vulnerability management teams can use SP 1800-45 as a technical blueprint to evaluate their current remote access posture. By comparing existing network diagrams against the NIST reference architectures, defenders can identify gaps in how OT environments are isolated from external access points. The guide allows organizations to select implementation patterns that align with their specific operational needs and available resources.

Decisions and next steps

Security leaders should use this guidance to make informed decisions regarding architectural remediation. Our analysis suggests the following priority actions for vulnerability assurance:

1. Architectural Gap Analysis: Map current remote access paths against the NIST reference architectures to identify unauthorized or insecure entry points into the OT environment. This is a preventative measure to reduce the attack surface.
2. Control Validation: For organizations deploying these architectures, verification should move beyond software version checks. Defenders should perform authorized connectivity tests (e.g., attempting to reach OT assets from an unauthorized network segment) to prove that the architectural boundaries are functioning as intended.
3. Resource-Based Prioritization: Determine which of the provided sample implementations is feasible based on current staffing and budget, ensuring that the chosen security controls can be maintained over time.

Limits and open questions

These guidelines provide reference architectures based on lab environments; they are not mandatory regulations. Implementing these patterns could reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access but does not eliminate all cybersecurity risks. Because the guide utilizes “commercially available technologies” rather than specific mandated products, organizations must still validate that their chosen vendor implementations adhere to the NIST architectural principles. Residual risk remains in the form of configuration errors or vulnerabilities within the chosen commercial tools themselves.

Source and editorial note

NIST Guidelines for Secure Remote Access in Water and Wastewater Systems · Source date: June 24, 2026 · Retrieved August 31, 2026.

Material facts are tied to the cited primary source. Recommendations are independent defensive analysis unless attributed to the source. Confirm consequential decisions against current authoritative guidance.

Archive date: June 27, 2026. The displayed post date is assigned three days after the source date to organize this retrospective archive; it does not mean this site published the analysis then. First published by this site: September 06, 2026 at 02:28 UTC.

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