Cyberattacks, sabotage, and digital influence operations have become part of modern geopolitics. These attacks target not only data systems, but also the essential societal functions we depend on — including electricity, water, transportation, healthcare, industry, and finance. When digital systems fail, the consequences can become physical — and in the worst cases, threaten lives and public safety.
These are not isolated incidents, but part of an ongoing reality where digital attacks are used as tools to create uncertainty, undermine trust, and destabilize society.
Why Critical Infrastructure Is a Prime Target for Cyberattacks
Critical infrastructure is designed for stable operations and high availability. That is precisely what makes it an attractive target. Disrupting essential societal functions can have significant strategic impact, whether the motivation is political, financial, or driven by cybercriminals seeking profit. Our growing dependence on digital systems means that even relatively small incidents can have disproportionately large consequences.
Today, we are seeing attacks and attempted attacks targeting energy systems, industrial control systems, water utilities, and transportation networks. In many cases, the objective is not immediate sabotage, but rather the mapping of digital vulnerabilities that can be exploited at a later stage. This activity happens continuously — often without the affected organization being aware of it.
This type of digital reconnaissance is frequently used for long-term positioning, allowing attackers to prepare future operations without triggering immediate consequences.
Under Constant Attack
Only a few years ago, cyberattacks were often viewed as a potential but distant risk. Today, they have become part of everyday reality. There is no longer a stable “normal” where the threat landscape remains static. Attacks are happening continuously, and the methods are evolving rapidly.
This means organizations can no longer base security planning solely on historical events. Risk must be understood as dynamic and persistent, and preparedness must be adapted to a constantly changing threat landscape. The same applies to IT operations, which increasingly need to be resilient, flexible, and tightly integrated with security efforts.
For organizations responsible for critical infrastructure, risks within IT and OT environments also become risks to society’s ability to function and maintain trust.
Why IT and OT Must Be Managed Together for Secure and Stable Operations
Many organizations still maintain a clear separation between IT — office support, business systems, and data — and OT (Operational Technology), where technology controls physical processes. In reality, these environments are now deeply interconnected through digitalization. This creates new opportunities for operational efficiency and better insights, but also introduces new vulnerabilities.
OT systems were originally designed for stable operations and availability — not to be exposed to modern networks and cloud platforms. As they are increasingly connected to IT systems, sensors, and external vendors, both complexity and vulnerability increase.
Many OT environments still lack basic security mechanisms because they were never designed for today’s digital threat landscape. Even where monitoring software is in place, it is often not integrated with incident response capabilities or monitored around the clock.
The consequences are clear:
- When an IT system is compromised, it can become an entry point into the OT environment — resulting in additional costs, regulatory reporting obligations, and reputational damage.
- When OT systems fail, physical operations can stop — with major consequences for both the organization and society.
This is why security can no longer be managed in technological or organizational silos. IT and OT must be viewed together, requiring a holistic approach to security across the entire organization.
This also requires a more integrated approach to IT operations, where stability, security, and continuous improvement are closely connected.
IT and OT Are Interconnected — and Must Be Managed Holistically
This is no longer just a technical issue that can be delegated entirely to specialists. It is a strategic responsibility that concerns the entire leadership team. For IT leaders, CIOs, and CISOs, the challenge is understanding how today’s threat landscape directly affects the organization’s ability to deliver services, maintain production, and preserve trust.
As critical infrastructure increasingly becomes a target in digital conflicts, technology decisions and security priorities have consequences that extend far beyond the organization itself. Decisions related to architecture, operations, and cybersecurity are therefore also decisions about resilience, availability, and social responsibility.
The question is no longer whether attacks will happen, but when — and how prepared the organization is when they do. Organizations with strong visibility, a holistic understanding of risk, solid contingency planning, and 24/7 monitoring are far better equipped to manage both risk and new opportunities in an increasingly uncertain world.
This article was written in collaboration between Fence and Embriq, based on shared experience and expertise.