Last January, a cyberattack paralyzed the water supply system of a Midwestern US city for hours. It was not an isolated case: in the last two years, incidents against critical infrastructure have doubled globally, according to cybersecurity agencies. From power plants to oil pipelines and telecommunications networks, the target is no longer just data, but the services that sustain daily life.
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure have doubled in the last two years, according to international agencies.
The New Geography of Risk
Traditionally, major cyberattacks targeted financial institutions or government databases. But the trend has shifted. Today, industrial control systems —which manage power grids, water treatment plants, or refineries— are the top priority for criminal groups and state actors. The reason is simple: they are vulnerable. Many of these systems were designed before the internet was ubiquitous and lack basic protections against modern intrusions.
In 2025, an attack on the power grid of an Eastern European region left over a million people without electricity for several hours. Although governments often downplay these incidents to avoid panic, internal reports reveal that the frequency and sophistication of attacks are increasing. Experts warn that the next major crisis may not be a conventional war or a pandemic, but a coordinated cyberattack on multiple infrastructures at once.
What are critical infrastructures?
They are the essential systems and assets for the functioning of a society: power grids, water supply, transportation, communications, hospitals, and emergency services. Their paralysis can have catastrophic consequences.
The Response: More Cooperation, But Also More Tension
Faced with the magnitude of the threat, governments and companies have begun to build bridges. In the United States, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has promoted information-sharing programs with the private sector. In the European Union, the NIS2 directive requires operators of essential services to strengthen their defenses and report incidents. However, international cooperation remains a minefield: accusations between countries about state-sponsored attacks from enemy states hinder the creation of a common front.
At the same time, technology companies have begun offering specific cyber defense services for critical infrastructure. Major software and consulting firms have created dedicated units to protect industrial control systems. But the cost is high, and not all operators —especially in developing countries— can afford it. The gap in cybersecurity capabilities between rich and poor nations thus becomes a new factor of global vulnerability.
What does this mean for the world?
The growing threat to critical infrastructure reminds us that security in the 21st century depends not only on armies and borders, but on the resilience of systems we often take for granted. The electricity that lights our homes, the water we drink, the communications that connect us: all can be disrupted by a digital attack. The response, both state and corporate, is still under construction. But one thing is clear: the next battle for global security will be fought not only on physical ground, but also in the world of bits. And in that field, cooperation and prevention are the only truly effective weapons.