Why is Cybersecurity Essential to Industrial Automation Systems?

Cybersecurity is no longer a secondary requirement in Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS), it is as essential as safety and high availability.

IACS, based on computer technology and industrial-grade networks, have been in use for decades. Earlier control system architectures were developed using proprietary technologies and were typically isolated from external networks, making cyber-attacks more difficult, physical perimeter security was often considered sufficient and cybersecurity was not a primary concern.

Today, many control systems use open or standardized technologies, for example, Ethernet TCP/IP, to reduce costs and improve performance. Many also support direct communication between control systems and business networks to enhance operational efficiency and enable more effective production asset management.

This technical evolution has introduced additional cybersecurity vulnerabilities, many previously considered relevant only to office and business environments. Control systems are now exposed to cyber threats inside and outside the industrial control network.

Security challenges in the IACS environment include, but are not limited to:

• Diverse physical and logical boundaries.
• Multiple sites spanning large geographic areas.
• Adverse impacts of security controls on process availability.
• Increased exposure to worms and viruses migrating from business networks as integration becomes more open.
• Greater risk from malicious software introduced via plug-in devices, for example, USB sticks, vendor laptops or enterprise connectivity.
• Direct impact of compromised control systems on physical and mechanical processes.

Traditional defenses, for example fences and security guards, can no longer protect industrial assets. Companies must be proactive and diligent in the steps they take to secure their systems. A successful cyber-attack can lead to lost production, environmental harm, reputational damage or even loss of life. The industrial sector must increasingly apply cybersecurity best practices and lessons learned from the information technology (IT) world to safeguard IACS environments.

A targeted cyber-attack against a control system can serve various harmful purposes, for example:

• Blocking or delaying critical data flows to interfere with production processes.
• Damaging or shutting down equipment, potentially disrupting operations or causing environmental incidents.

• Tampering with safety systems in a way that puts personnel, assets, or the public at risk.

Last update - February 2026