Emerging Challenges in OT Cybersecurity – 2025 Trends & Concerns

Hey everyone,

I wanted to start a thread to discuss some of the more recent and pressing challenges we're seeing in the power and energy systems cybersecurity in 2025. As many of you know, the convergence of IT and OT continues to grow, but so do the risks. Here are a few key issues I think are worth talking about:

1. Rise of Sophisticated Malware Targeting OT: We've seen a spike in OT-specific malware that can bypass traditional perimeter defenses. Attackers are becoming more familiar with protocols (like DNP3, Modbus, IEC 104), and we’re seeing more custom payloads designed to disrupt industrial processes directly.

2. Legacy System Vulnerabilities: A lot of OT environments still rely on outdated systems with little to no patching. The balance between availability and security remains a huge challenge—especially in critical infrastructure.

3. Insecure Remote Access & Supply Chain Risk: Remote work and third-party vendor access have expanded the attack surface. Many breaches in the past year stemmed from poorly secured vendor connections or compromised credentials.

4. Lack of Visibility and Monitoring in OT Networks: While IT networks have advanced SIEMs and monitoring tools, many OT environments still lack sufficient visibility into network traffic or endpoint behavior.

5. Regulatory Audit and Compliance Gaps: Standards, compliance frameworks, and audit requirements (e.g., NERC CIP updates) are putting pressure on utilities and asset owners—but implementation is often slow due to resource constraints or lack of internal expertise.

Curious to hear from others: What challenges are you facing in securing your grids? Any tools, frameworks, or strategies you’ve found effective?

Let’s share some best practices!