Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, has published its State of OT Security: A Comprehensive Guide to Trends, Risks, and Cyber Resilience report. The report surveyed 1,979 operational technology (OT) and IT business leaders across 23 countries globally, including 51 leaders in the Philippines, to understand the trends, risks, and cyber resilience strategies within OT environments, offering insights into the challenges faced by organizations across the globe.

Industrial organizations in the Philippines are dealing with a surge in cyberattacks. A recent report by Palo Alto Networks has some eye-opening stats: over 70 percent of these organizations have been hit by cyberattacks in their operational technology (OT) environments in the past year. So, what’s going on and how can they stay protected?

Industrial operations — think manufacturing plants, energy companies, and other essential services — are now prime targets for cybercriminals. These attacks can cause major disruptions, shutting down operations, losing revenue, and racking up huge recovery costs. Shockingly, almost half of the surveyed organizations reported facing cyberattacks monthly or even weekly.

As these operations adopt new tech like artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, 5G, and robotics, they’re also opening to new cybersecurity risks. While these technologies bring tons of benefits, they also create new ways for cyberattacks to happen. AI, for example, can both help defend against and carry out cyberattacks. A whopping 70.6 percent of respondents said AI attacks are a big issue, but many also believe AI is key to stopping these attacks.

Lots of organizations see moving to cloud solutions to beef up their OT security. In fact, 92.2 percent think cloud tech will boost their security. But this move isn’t without its challenges — 64.7 percent expect more cybersecurity issues over the next couple of years.

One promising strategy to improve cybersecurity is the “Zero Trust” approach. Instead of assuming everything inside a network is safe, this strategy verifies everything trying to connect. Over 80 percent of respondents support Zero Trust, but only about 20 percent have fully implemented it.

A big roadblock in improving OT cybersecurity is the friction between OT and IT teams. Traditionally, IT has handled company-wide security, while OT has focused on industrial operations. This divide can make coordinated responses to threats tough. More than half of the surveyed organizations said their OT and IT teams work in silos or face friction, showing a need for better collaboration.

The rising number of cyberattacks on industrial operations highlights the urgent need for proactive risk management and system resilience. The importance of adopting AI-driven defenses is clear. These advanced systems can quickly analyze large data sets and spot threat patterns, often before an attack happens.

In all, as industrial operations advance in the digital age, traditional security measures are no longer enough. Protecting our critical industrial infrastructure requires adopting new technologies, fostering better collaboration between OT and IT teams, and implementing a proactive, AI-driven cybersecurity approach.