Critical infrastructure (CI) organizations are, as the name suggests, some of the most important in the global economy. They're also some of the most technologically complex and, crucially, vulnerable. Their security must reflect that.
Cyber attackers have always adapted -- but with artificial intelligence, they now move at machine speed. AI gives adversaries the ability to uncover vulnerabilities instantly, probe APIs endlessly, and exploit flaws that human testers would never spot. Software and APIs remain their favorite targets, but the tactics used to strike them have changed beyond recognition.
This, in part, is why this year's Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme, "Secure Our World," resonates so strongly. The Thales 2025 Data Threat Report for Critical Infrastructure reveals the challenges modern CI organizations face, how they're tackling them, and how updating software fits into the equation.
Simple as it sounds, patching and updates shut down the easiest pathways for AI-powered attackers. Combined with smarter defenses that detect anomalies in real time and adapt as quickly as the threat, it's one of the most powerful ways organizations can stay safe online.