When cyber attacks target systems instead of data, critical infrastructure is exposed

In this conversation, we discuss how industrial control systems that manage power, water, fuel and transport have become direct targets of cyber attacks, not for the data they hold, but for the disruption they can cause. Examples including water treatment systems, energy distribution and large-scale outages show that assumptions about “air gapped” environments no longer hold.

The discussion also explores how geopolitical tension, ransomware and insider access have heightened the physical risk to communities, livelihoods and safety and why cyber resilience now sits firmly alongside traditional safety and reliability considerations in infrastructure.

• Why cyber risk in critical infrastructure centres on physical impact
• How connectivity has increased exposure in industrial systems
• What disruption means for energy and water services
• Why cyber security is increasingly linked to public safety and trust

The implications are complex, persistent and still unfolding.