The Rising Risk Landscape for Critical National Infrastructure
The Rising Risk Landscape for Critical National Infrastructure
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/rising-risk-landscape-for-critical/
Publish Date: 2026-04-23 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
The risks facing industrial organisations are growing in both scale and variety while many critical national infrastructure operators are being asked to stretch budgets beyond what feels safe.
Organisations responsible for energy, transport, water and manufacturing are tasked with protecting increasingly complex operations from attackers who are using a much wider range of techniques than even a few years ago.
These organisations often find themselves defending essential systems while justifying every item of spend, causing some to cut back on security because the benefits are not always immediately visible.
But consequences of those decisions aren’t always immediate, often occurring when disruption is deeper and recovery slower. Once an industrial environment is interfered with, bringing it back online isn’t always instantaneous, and safety considerations can escalate well beyond what any budget expected.
And with digital transformation, attackers can and now do move laterally from the information technology side of a business or organisation, into planning systems, supplier connections, cloud interfaces and remote access points until they reach the technology that keeps production running.
This is why cyber resilience in critical infrastructure is essential to prevent breakdowns, protect uptime and keep critical services running.
Pressure Points That Attackers Understand
Recent rises in industrial ransomware show how urgently a stronger mindset is needed. According to the Dragos 2026 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report, ransomware remained the most impactful threat to industrial organisations, with attacks increasing 64 percent year-over-year.
Dragos tracked 119 ransomware groups targeting industrial organisations in 2025, up from 80 the year before, collectively impacting 3,300 organisations. Manufacturing accounted for more than two-thirds of all victims, showing how attackers deliberately focus on sectors where disruption creates…
