OT Cybersecurity Under Attack: Executive Leadership Steps Up as Threats Escalate in 2025

The operational technology (OT) sector is experiencing a cybersecurity revolution, with C-suite executives finally taking direct ownership of industrial cybersecurity as threats continue to pummel critical infrastructure. The latest Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report reveals a stark reality where manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure organizations are simultaneously battling escalating cyber threats while making significant strides in security maturity.

 The Growing Threat Against Critical Infrastructure

Operational technology environments have become prime targets for cybercriminals and nation-state actors seeking to disrupt critical infrastructure and manufacturing operations. The convergence of IT and OT systems, while driving operational efficiency, has dramatically expanded the attack surface that threat actors can exploit.

Manufacturing remains the most targeted sector, representing 17% of all cyberattacks as both ransomware-as-a-service groups and nation-state actors capitalize on vulnerabilities in production systems. These attacks specifically target the need for manufacturers to return to operations quickly, making them more likely to pay ransoms to restore critical production capabilities.

Key threat developments include:

• Criminal ransomware crews are specifically targeting manufacturing operations to monetize production interruptions more effectively
• State-sponsored threat actors are penetrating industry and critical infrastructure to establish footholds for future disruption campaigns
• Advanced persistent threat groups are using OT/IoT protocols like Modbus TCP to map and exploit exposed industrial services
• AI-powered cybercrime is scaling rapidly, with threat actors using artificial intelligence to enhance phishing realism and evade traditional security controls

The data shows that while 52% of organizations experienced zero intrusions in 2025 (a significant improvement from just 6% in 2022), half of all survey respondents still experienced one or more security incidents, demonstrating that threats remain persistent and sophisticated.

  

(Intrusions Experienced – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

 Who’s Behind the Attacks

The threat actors targeting OT environments represent a diverse and dangerous mix of criminal enterprises and state-sponsored groups. Nation-state actors continue actively using ransomware against manufacturing companies as part of broader geopolitical strategies. These well-funded, state-aligned groups are attempting to penetrate critical infrastructure to lay groundwork for future disruption or cause immediate damage as political statements.

Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) cybercriminals have industrialized their operations, specifically preying upon manufacturers’ urgent need to restore operations quickly. These criminal groups understand that production downtime directly impacts revenue and safety, making industrial targets more likely to pay extortion demands.

Advanced persistent threat groups are conducting long-term reconnaissance campaigns using automated tools to map exposed OT services and identify vulnerabilities in industrial control systems. The sophistication of these attacks has increased dramatically, with adversaries deploying sector-specific exploitations and leveraging AI to enhance attack effectiveness.

(Techniques Involved – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

 Organizations at Risk

Virtually every organization operating critical infrastructure or industrial processes faces elevated OT cybersecurity risks. However, certain sectors and organizational characteristics make some targets more attractive to attackers.

The most vulnerable organizations include:

• Manufacturing companies with aging industrial control systems that lack modern security features
• Energy and utilities providers operating critical infrastructure with interconnected IT/OT environments
• Healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations where production disruptions directly impact patient safety
• Chemical and petrochemical facilities where cyberattacks could cause catastrophic physical damage
• Transportation and logistics companies whose operations depend on integrated digital systems
• Organizations with hybrid workforces that have expanded attack surfaces through remote access connections
• Companies operating legacy OT devices that were designed decades ago without cybersecurity considerations

(Techniques Involved – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

(Impact on Organization – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

 

Organizations at lower maturity levels (0-2) face the greatest risks, with 46% still experiencing intrusions compared to only 65% of Level 4 mature organizations reporting zero intrusions. The correlation between security maturity and incident reduction clearly demonstrates that investment in comprehensive OT cybersecurity programs produces measurable results.

(Maturity of Cybersecurity Program – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

 Available Remediation Strategies

Organizations can significantly reduce OT cybersecurity risks by implementing comprehensive security frameworks and best practices that address both technical vulnerabilities and operational challenges.

The most effective remediation strategies include:

Deploy Network Segmentation: Creating defensible OT architecture through network zones and segments following standards like ISA/IEC 62443 to enforce controls between OT and IT networks and between OT systems.

Establish Comprehensive Visibility: Implementing asset discovery and monitoring solutions to identify and track all OT devices, including aging systems that may lack native security capabilities.

Implement Compensating Controls: Deploying virtual patching, application-layer policies, and OT vulnerability protections to reduce exposure of legacy systems that cannot be directly secured.

Integrate OT-Specific Threat Intelligence: Incorporating AI-powered threat intelligence feeds with robust OT-specific information to enable near-real-time protection against the latest threats and attack variants.

Consolidate Security Vendors: Adopting platform-based security architectures that reduce complexity while enabling centralized management, threat intelligence sharing, and automated response capabilities.

Develop IT-OT Security Operations: Creating unified security operations centers (SOCs) that monitor both IT and OT environments to improve threat detection and coordinate incident response.

Implement Zero Trust Principles: Establishing strict access controls, device authentication, and continuous monitoring to minimize the blast radius of potential breaches.

(OT Cybersecurity Responsibility – Source: Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report)

 How CinchOps Can Help Secure Your Business

CinchOps understands the unique cybersecurity challenges facing manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure organizations as they navigate the complex convergence of IT and OT environments. Our seasoned IT professionals bring decades of experience protecting industrial systems from sophisticated cyber threats.

We provide comprehensive OT cybersecurity services specifically designed for organizations that need to maintain operational continuity while strengthening security postures:

• OT Network Assessment and Segmentation: Implementing proper network segmentation following industry standards to create defensible zones between IT and OT systems
• Legacy System Protection: Deploying compensating controls and virtual patching solutions to protect aging industrial systems that cannot be directly updated
• Threat Intelligence Integration: Incorporating specialized OT threat intelligence feeds to provide real-time protection against industrial-specific attack vectors
• Security Operations Center (SOC) Services: Establishing unified IT/OT monitoring capabilities that provide 24/7 threat detection and rapid incident response
• Compliance and Risk Management: Ensuring adherence to evolving regulations and industry standards while maintaining operational efficiency
• Employee Training and Awareness: Developing targeted training programs that help staff recognize and respond to OT-specific security threats
• Vendor Consolidation and Platform Integration: Simplifying security architectures through strategic vendor partnerships that reduce complexity while improving protection

Our approach recognizes that OT cybersecurity requires a delicate balance between robust protection and operational reliability. We work closely with your engineering and operations teams to implement security measures that enhance rather than hinder productivity while providing the advanced threat protection your critical systems demand

 Discover More 

Discover more about our enterprise-grade and business protecting cybersecurity services: CinchOps Cybersecurity
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