Advancements in technology also comes with an increased risk of increasingly complex and intelligent cyber-attacks, therefore it’s imperative that effective cybersecurity strategies are deployed, and this is extremely important in the case of critical infrastructure. In this article, we will look into what critical infrastructure is, and some of the cybersecurity strategies that should be implemented in order to prevent the risk of cyber-attacks.
What is Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity?
IBM describes critical infrastructure as “the systems, facilities and assets that are vital for the functioning of society and the economy.” It relates to the systems and processes that are in place to protect key entities such as those in healthcare, energy and water suppliers, and of course government systems.
Key Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure in 2025
Cyber-attacks possess the capability to bring critical government systems to a grinding halt, causing serious ramifications.
Here are some examples of key cyber threats to critical infrastructure:
- Nation-state cyberattacks and espionage
Cyberattacks carried out by nation states pose a serious threat to the critical infrastructure of any country. Attacks of this nature can be devastating considering the entities that can come under attack. In terms of scale, with government backed financing, nation-state cyberattacks can cause serious harm. From an espionage perspective, it can have a serious impact from the point of view of gaining access to, and theft of, military intelligence, and state secrets.
- Ransomware targeting operational systems
A ransomware attack on any operational system can cause serious problems, but this is heightened further when we consider the impact of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure. The impact of an attack on the healthcare, energy, and government sector can result in critical services going offline, and the potential theft of sensitive data.
The cost implication can be severe, resulting in financial losses from down time, and having to hire experts to bring systems back on line
- Zero-day exploits in industrial control systems (ICS)
Zero-day exploits consist of cyberattacks that leverage weak areas in an organization’s firmware, software, or even hardware. “Zero-day” refers to vulnerabilities an organization has not been aware of, and therefore they have “zero days” to rectify the weakness before a cyber-attack is carried out.
Core Principles of Securing Critical Infrastructure Systems
Here are some of the core principles when it comes to securing critical infrastructure systems:
- Defense-in-depth approach
Defense-in-depth allows the impact of a cyber-attack to be minimized as much as possible, and this is achieved by setting up security measures at different levels of an organization’s infrastructure. This can include a combination of measures such as physical security, network security (for example firewalls), data security, and application security such as multifactor authentication.
- Zero Trust security architecture
Zero trust security is an excellent way to “de-risk” a critical infrastructure system. By ensuring that any access must always be verified, and the option to “trust” is removed, it lowers the risk of an attack as constant verification is required.
- Strong identity and access management
Fortifying identity and access management systems via secure authentication and authorization is an essential element in ensuring a secure infrastructure system. This also includes role-based access control (RBAC) so only individuals with certain job roles/clearance will be allowed access.
Proven Cybersecurity Strategies for Critical Infrastructure
- Deploying industrial-grade firewalls and intrusion prevention systems
Arguably the first line of defense in network security, an industrial-grade firewall is a must for securing critical infrastructure.
- Regular patch management for both IT and OT systems
Ongoing patch management is a must, especially when the nature of cyber-attacks is constantly evolving. This is heightened even further when we take into account the use of AI which can be used to make attacks very specific.
Consistently updating firmware and software reduces the risk of a zero-day exploit which we looked at earlier.
- Using encrypted communication protocols
Encrypted communication protocols such as HTTPs, Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), and End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) can also help bolster security, and help reduce the risk of attack.
- Continuous monitoring with threat detection and analytics tools
Continuous monitoring is a crucial exercise in ensuring a secure critical infrastructure. Using threat detection and analytics tools, an organization can constantly be on the lookout for any anomalies and potential threats, thus reducing the chance of a cyber-attack. Many cyberattacks that occur can be prevented with a continuous monitoring system in place.
Incident Response and Recovery for Critical Infrastructure
- Creating and testing an incident response plan
A comprehensive incident response plan (IRP) is a must for organizations. It is the company’s “go to” set of procedures and is executed when a cyber-attack occurs, an IRP is executed in order to contain the issue and prevent further damage being done to an organization's network.
- Conducting post-incident forensic analysis
Post-incident forensic analysis consists of a detailed assessment of the cause of an attack, along with analysis of how an attack could be prevented from occurring again. This means taking a look at first line of defense systems and looking for weak spots in security systems that could be fortified.
Compliance and Regulatory Requirements for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity
Adhering to regulatory frameworks such as NIST and ISO can help organizations in reducing the risk of an attack. Here are a few examples:
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework
In relation to improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity, the NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity is a specific framework that organizations should adhere to.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) provides detailed guidance, strategies, and measures that they can implement in order to strengthen their security systems.
ISO/IEC 27001 is a standard related to information security management systems (ISMSs) and provides a framework for organizations to ensure sensitive and critical data is sufficiently protected.
ISO/IEC 27019 is also an international standard, but is specific to the energy utility sector, and outlines sector specific processes that should be adhered to in order to protect systems in the energy sector such as power plants, and grids.
How Comnet Supports Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity
Comnet supports critical infrastructure cybersecurity by providing the organizations with the necessary tools and support they need to not only build a strong foundation, but also stay up to date with the latest cybersecurity threats.
The combination of hardware that can withstand the toughest of environments, such as our Ethernet switches, along with providing managed services and software solutions, means that we are second to none in providing organizations with an all-encompassing solution in supporting critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that critical infrastructure is the very nucleus of a society and economy, therefore robust cybersecurity measures to defend against attacks are a necessity rather than a luxury.
When we consider the increased risk of advanced attacks and nation-state attacks which have the financial backing of governments, it is more important than ever to have systems and processes in place are designed to defend against attackers.
Best practices such as Zero trust security architecture, and deploying strong identity and access management control, combined with having a strong firewall and using end to end encryption can help create a robust security system, and dramatically reduce the risks of an attack.
In case of any attacks, a comprehensive incident response plan should be in place to help restore systems and prevent an attack of the same nature occurring again.
To learn more about how we can help strengthen your critical infrastructure security, please contact one of our team members at comnetsales@acresecurity.com who can talk you through our range of solutions.
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