Rockwell data shows 46% of industrial firms faced cyber incidents last year

Rockwell Automation released new research indicating that 46% of industrial organizations experienced a cyber incident in the past year. According to the report, titled “Operational Resilience in the Age of Connectivity,” nearly nine out of ten organizations stated they were confident in their ability to contain these incidents despite the high frequency of attacks.

The study highlights that IT/OT integration points remain among the most vulnerable areas for cyber incidents. While 62% of organizations have already invested in cybersecurity platforms, including asset inventory and intrusion detection systems, 34% view cybersecurity as one of the biggest external obstacles to growth. This ranks second only to workforce shortages as a hurdle for industrial expansion over the next 12 months.

Shifting Priorities and Investment Trends

Cybersecurity has emerged as the second-leading return-on-investment driver among technology investments for industrial firms. The research notes that organizations are increasingly viewing security not as a separate IT initiative, but as a core component of operational performance. This shift reflects a broader strategy to build visibility and secure architecture that sustains production during disruptions.

Rockwell Automation observed that every new connection in industrial environments creates additional dependencies and points of exposure. To address this, companies are focusing on operational resilience through continuous monitoring and tested incident response capabilities. The goal is to reduce disruption and maintain operations even when facing cyber threats or other operational challenges.

Future Technologies and Architecture

Looking ahead, 45% of organizations plan to use artificial intelligence and machine learning for cybersecurity over the next 12 months. Additionally, 37% believe that securing their IT/OT architecture will drive positive business outcomes over the next five years. These figures suggest a growing reliance on advanced technologies to manage the complexities of connected industrial environments.

The convergence of IT and OT continues to expand operational data flows across more assets, users, and devices than ever before. This expansion requires a holistic approach to security that goes beyond individual tools. Organizations are prioritizing risk-based vulnerability management and secure remote access to protect their increasingly interconnected infrastructure.

What should you do?

Organizations should assess their current IT/OT integration points for vulnerabilities, as these areas were identified as high-risk in the Rockwell study. Leaders should ensure their incident response plans are tested and capable of handling disruptions without halting production. Monitoring investments in AI and machine learning for security applications may also be prudent, given the high adoption rates projected by the research.

Background: Risk-based vulnerability management

Risk based vulnerability management ranks software flaws by their likelihood of exploitation and potential business impact, not by severity scores. You fix what attackers can reach and what matters most to your operations. This approach reduces noise and focuses remediation efforts on the vulnerabilities that truly endanger your organization’s core functions and data integrity.

Read the full guide: Risk Based Vulnerability Management: Prioritize Fixes by Actual Threat

What to do and how to stay safe: Rockwell Automation

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of IT/OT integration points to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in converged environments.
• Test and update incident response and recovery capabilities to ensure operations can continue during a cyber disruption.
• Evaluate current cybersecurity platforms, such as asset inventory and intrusion detection, to ensure they meet resilience goals.
• Consider integrating AI and machine learning tools into security strategies, as nearly half of organizations plan to do so soon.

Step-by-step guide: Prompt Injection Warning Signs: How to Spot AI Manipulation

General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of industrial organizations faced a cyber incident last year?

According to Rockwell Automation’s research, 46% of industrial organizations experienced a cyber incident in the past year.

How confident are organizations in containing cyber incidents?

The study found that 90% of industrial organizations said they were confident in their ability to contain a cyber incident.

What is the primary obstacle to growth for industrial firms?

Workforce shortages are the top obstacle, while cybersecurity is the second-largest external obstacle to growth over the next 12 months.