Digital infrastructure: not the Achilles' heel but the jugular

As cyber threats intensify, digital infrastructure faces rising risks, demanding vigilant, multi-layered defences to ensure resilience for the future.

- PRATIMA HARIGUNANI

Have you lately come across the concept of Dark Tourism? It is precisely as weird, improbable, intriguing and gloomy as it sounds. People opt to meet others and visit villages, cities, countries and cultures that have been wrecked under war or trampled with the foot of conflict and violence.

Suffering, sadness, hopelessness, chaos and dregs of what-was-life attract such tourists. It is not exactly pleasing to the eye and the mind, but maybe some people seek this torture to learn for the future.

Shall we take a walk into the dark alleys of digital infrastructure for some moments, then? We have enough scary premonitions to set foot into this nightmare land. As infrastructures grow leaner, faster, and shinier with the advent of the digital architectural era, they are also becoming easy to crumble, prone to termites, and bait for attackers of the new world.

Consider what Check Point's latest Threat Intelligence report in 2023 pointed out. Global ransomware incidents surged by 90%, surpassing 5,000 attacks compared to the previous year. Ransomware operators continually refine their methods, introducing new tactics like intermittent encryption, breach-only attacks, and advanced evasion techniques.

Not far away are findings from the Munich Re Cyber Risk and Insurance Survey 2024, which underlines that 87% of all C-level respondents reported that their company is not adequately protected against cyberattacks. The warning is hidden under data from ISACA's 2024 State of Digital Trust report, showing that only 52% of organisations are confident in their digital trustworthiness.

According to the World Economic Forum, cybercrime costs are projected to soar to USD 10.5 trillion annually by 2025, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of modern cyberattacks' economic toll. But that is not all. Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly physical, targeting critical infrastructure and disrupting sectors like energy and supply chains.