A Claroty report highlights how economic instability is amplifying cyber risks to critical infrastructure systems. According to the findings, 49% of respondents believe that shifts in global economic policies and geopolitical tensions are driving supply chain changes, which in turn increase exposure for cyber-physical systems (CPS). Nearly half (45%) of organizations express doubts about their capacity to safeguard essential CPS assets or fully grasp their current risk landscape. In response, 67% are reassessing where their supply chains are located to minimize vulnerabilities tied to economic and geopolitical unpredictability. n nAs companies adjust vendor relationships and deploy new remote access solutions, third-party access has become a growing concern. These changes often occur within already intricate and exposed CPS environments, increasing the likelihood of breaches. In fact, 46% of respondents reported suffering an incident in the past year due to third-party access, while 54% identified security flaws in vendor agreements after an event occurred. Consequently, 73% are now reevaluating external remote access to CPS operations. n nDespite around 70% stating their CPS security practices align with existing standards, 76% anticipate upcoming regulations—whether from governmental, international, or sector-specific bodies—will force major strategic revisions, potentially disrupting operational continuity. To manage these challenges, organizations are prioritizing impact-focused risk strategies centered on compliance and exposure control. Key mitigation tactics include routine security assessments (cited by 49%) and refining procedures for approving system changes (45%), both aimed at strengthening defenses and identifying hidden weaknesses, especially among outside suppliers.
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Economic Uncertainty Leads to Additional Security Risks
A report by Claroty analyzed the effect of economic uncertainty on security risks. The report found that nearly half (49%) of respondents report that supply chain changes caused by shifting global economic policies and geopolitical tensions around the world are creating increased cyber risk to CPS assets and processes. Forty-five percent are also concerned about their ability to reduce risk to key CPS assets, and in their overall understanding of their risk posture. Additionally, 67% said that they are reconsidering the geography of their supply chain to mitigate risks to CPS posed by economic and geopolitical uncertainties. n nA ripple effect of shifting supply chains is the escalation of risks associated with third-party remote access, as organizations re-evaluate their vendors and introduce new remote access tools into already complex and exposed CPS environments. Forty-six percent of respondents said they’ve been breached in the last 12 months because of third-party access and 54% report they’ve discovered security gaps or weaknesses in vendor contracts post-incident. As a result, 73% of respondents said they are re-evaluating third-party remote access to CPS operations. n nAlthough nearly 70% of respondents said their current CPS security programs adhere to cybersecurity standards, 76% said that emerging regulations — be it government, international or industry-specific — may require their organizations to overhaul their strategies, which could cause massive disruptions to operational efficiency. n nThese findings highlight the importance of taking an impact-centric approach to risk reduction that focuses on regulatory outcomes and exposure management, with the top risk mitigation strategies being regular security audits (49%) and process improvements for providing change approvals (45%). This will enhance compliance efforts and uncover vulnerabilities particularly where there may be blind spots among third-party vendors.