Utilities Face Growing Risks to OT Networks Amid Increased Cyber Threats

• •Utilities are modernizing OT networks to handle increased data demands.
• •Cyberattacks on OT networks pose significant risks, including potential downtime.
• •An IDC report identifies key challenges in upgrading and securing OT infrastructure.

Utilities are under pressure to modernize their operational technology (OT) networks to support data-intensive applications while facing increasing cyber threats. A recent IDC report highlights that OT networks are becoming attractive targets for malicious actors, with top concerns including downtime from cyberattacks and the need for effective threat detection. The report indicates that legacy networks are inadequate for current demands, leading utilities to seek wide-area networks (WANs) that can meet stringent performance and security requirements. The challenges include technology procurement, aligning tech choices with business needs, and ensuring compliance with OT-specific standards. As utilities adopt new digital applications, the risk of outages and attacks continues to grow, necessitating enhanced resilience and security measures.