Homeland Security & Defense Library

Critical infrastructure faces an evolving landscape of cyber threats in 2024-2025. Ransomware attacks have increased 42% year-over-year, with healthcare, energy, and water systems being the most targeted sectors. State-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) continue to probe vulnerabilities in operational technology (OT) systems, while supply chain compromises and zero-day exploits pose significant risks.

Key threat vectors include phishing campaigns targeting system administrators, exploitation of unpatched legacy systems, and increasingly sophisticated social engineering tactics. The average cost of a critical infrastructure breach now exceeds $4.5 million, with recovery times extending to months in severe cases.