Report: Nearly 70% of industrial organizations have experienced a cyberattack in the past year

The study focuses on the reality, extent, and changing nature of security threats to industrial environments.

April 8, 2024

2 min read

ABI Research and Palo Alto Networks have released a new report called “The State of OT Security: A Comprehensive Guide to Trends, Risks, and Cyber Resilience.” Designed to shine a light on the state of operational technology (OT) security, the report features responses from nearly 2,000 executives and practitioners across 16 countries. The study focuses on the reality, extent, and changing nature of security threats to industrial environments. Key takeaways from the study include:

One in four industrial enterprises have had to shut down their operations temporarily due to a cyberattack
40% of organizations say their OT and IT teams are frictional
Nearly 70% of industrial organizations have experienced cyberattacks in the past year
Malware, ransomware, and insider attacks are the top three threats

In an excerpt from the report, authors Michael M. Amiri and Michela Menting write: “Operational Technology (OT) teams once felt fortified against cyberattacks in industrial operations, given their air-gapped systems, legacy assets, proprietary technologies, fragmented end markets, etc. However, the narrative has greatly changed within the last several years; considering the many news headlines reporting on various OT attacks on industrial firms. Take the EKANS ransomware attack on Honda in 2020 as an example, forcing multiple factory shutdowns worldwide. Or look at the 2022 satellite-born attack disrupting the operations of 5,800 wind turbines in Germany. Other successful attacks include the Industroyer2 malware attack on electrical substations used by Ukrainian energy companies and the notorious Colonial Pipeline shutdown in 2021. What these recent attacks tell us is that the unabated expansion of cyberthreats has found ways to intrude into every corner of modern organizations, and industrial operations are no exception.”

About the Author

Alexis Gajewski

Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.

During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.

Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.

She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.

Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.

Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn