The Human Factor in Infrastructure Security: A Silent Vulnerability

November 20, 2025

By: Rupesh Shirke, Associate Principal - Cloud & Infra Management, LTM

Introduction

As technology continues to reshape industries, businesses are leveraging its power to solve complex problems, streamline operations, drive innovation, and promote sustainability. However, this progress comes with a growing wave of threats and vulnerabilities in infrastructure security. While advanced tools improve threat detection and response, they also introduce new risks. While we often discuss and address common security threats such as viruses, phishing, and malware, one threat remains significantly underestimated: the human factor. Human factors, particularly insider threats and social engineering attacks, can cause severe disruptions, destabilize supply chains, reduce productivity, and erode public trust. Critical infrastructure security is a growing concern as primary systems in energy, transportation, communications, healthcare, and finance face increasing threats from terrorism, natural disasters, and cyberattacks.  In 2024, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure escalated dramatically, with over 420 million incidents reported globally, averaging 13 attacks per second. The most affected sectors were financial services (45%), healthcare (30%), and government (17%), followed by energy and manufacturing. Major breaches, such as the Change Healthcare attack, disrupted care for millions. Severity-wise, 45% of organizations reported losses exceeding USD 500,000, and 27% faced damages over $1 million. Though direct fatalities were rare, the human impact was significant—delayed surgeries, emergency service outages, and manual system revert. These incidents highlight the persistent vulnerability posed by human factors, with phishing susceptibility averaging 34.3% across sectors.¹ As these infrastructures evolve into complex cyber-physical systems, there is an urgent need for multidisciplinary strategies that combine technological innovation, large-scale workforce training, and international collaboration to enhance resilience and ensure robust security of critical infrastructure.

What is Critical Infrastructure?

Critical infrastructure comprises the physical and cyber assets, systems, and networks so critical to a country that their destruction or loss would result in unacceptable damage to national security, economic stability, public health, and safety. Safety of these sectors is a priority or industries and governments globally, most notably against modern threats like cyberattacks, terrorism, and natural disasters. The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure

The Security Agency (CISA) has identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors which are crucial to the nation these are chemicals, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, water and wastewater, defense industrial base, emergency services, energy, financial services, food and agriculture, government facilities, healthcare and public health, information technology, nuclear reactors, materials, and waste, transportation systems, water and wastewater systems.

Threats To Critical Infrastructure

Critical infrastructure security is severely threatened, most notably due to enhanced digital connectivity and the lack of global cybersecurity legislation. Physical attacks, natural disasters, and insider threats further complicate the challenge, creating the risk of cascading failures across interdependent systems. Social engineering exploits human vulnerabilities, amplifying these risks. To address these challenges, organizations must adopt a holistic approach that combines advanced technological solutions with people-centric programs such as workforce training and cultural development. Failure to implement robust critical infrastructure security measures will result in increased vulnerability, operational disruptions, and significant economic and societal impacts.

Economic Impact of Infrastructure Failures

Infrastructure failures have broader economic repercussions that extend beyond the repair cost, including impacts on national productivity, investor confidence, and future growth. A collapse in primary sectors like energy, transportation, finance, and communications can halt production, lengthen supply chains, and sever critical services. A prolonged power outage, for example, incurs direct restoration costs and significant losses in manufacturing and services. Such disturbances cause market volatility due to reduced consumer trust and investor confidence, particularly affecting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

There are also economic costs, including lost jobs due to halted production and reduced public healthcare services, that can amplify public health crises and increase financial burdens. Disaster relief or cyberattack relief diverts public resources from vital industries like education.

Role Of Technology in Security

Technological innovation is at the forefront of defense for strategic infrastructure and enhancing the resiliency of critical systems that shape modern society. Advanced cybersecurity measures like robust firewalls, sophisticated intrusion detection, and real-time monitoring software are the first line of defense against the ever-evolving cyber-attacks directed at critical infrastructure.

The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is transforming security planning in organizations through predictive analytics. These technologies can process massive amounts of data to identify patterns and detect anomalies that could indicate potential cyberattacks or system breakdowns weeks or even months in advance. For example, such systems can flag suspicious network traffic or detect abnormal system behaviour, enabling preventive measures before threats escalate. When combined with robust IoT security for critical infrastructure, these capabilities help safeguard interconnected devices, reduce vulnerabilities, and ensure operational resilience in increasingly complex digital ecosystems.

However, while these technological developments allow for better risk management and control in interdependent networks, they also introduce new challenges. While the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices enhances connectivity and operational efficiency, it also provides avenues that bad actors can exploit.

By sharing information and best practices, public-private partnerships can enhance collective security mechanisms and lead to enhanced responses to emerging threats.

Long-term investment in research and development is essential to maintaining strong protection against constantly evolving threats and technologies. Beyond enhancing the performance of existing solutions, this commitment drives the creation of innovative approaches that future-proof critical systems. For example, advancements in IoT security for critical infrastructure will play a pivotal role in safeguarding interconnected devices, reducing vulnerabilities, and ensuring resilience in increasingly complex cyber-physical environments.

Future Challenges and Solutions

Upcoming challenges to critical infrastructure security are technological, human, and geopolitical in nature. Top of mind is mounting sophistication of cyber-attacks on networked systems, including APT and ransomware attacks. The absence of a global legal framework complicates responses, and insider threats persist due to inadvertence or malicious intent. Constant security awareness training for operators, regardless of cybersecurity competency, is essential.

Additionally, disaster and pandemic resilience are crucial given that climate change increases the intensity of weather conditions that devastate infrastructure. Adaptive design practices and real-time monitoring, facilitated by AI and IoT-based technologies, are essential for enhancing resilience through efficient governance models that promote public-private cooperation.

A comprehensive solution will have to integrate technological advances with a human touch and international cooperation. This involves developing robust cybersecurity agreements and engaging in ongoing learning to mitigate insider threats, thereby enhancing infrastructure resilience against disruptions.

Enhancing Security in an Oil and Gas Company

A large oil and gas company has extensive infrastructure crucial to its business and the energy supply chain. However, high-technology advancements have made it more susceptible to attacks.

The problem? The corporation was threatened by cyberattacks, insider threats, and physical sabotage, most notably suffering a cyberattack on its SCADA system that temporarily shut down one of its largest pipelines. One insider was also arrested for leaking sensitive drilling information to competing companies.

Solution: To fill these loopholes, the company followed a holistic security strategy by blending technology with human measures:

1. Technological Measures:
   – Advanced Cybersecurity: Used firewalls, intrusion detection, and encryption to secure data.
   – AI & Machine Learning: Used predictive analytics to identify anomalies and threats.
   – IoT Security: Offered greater security of IoT devices with improved authentication and monitoring.

1. Human-Centric Measures:
   – Security Awareness Training: Trained employees to identify and respond to security breaches.
   – Insider Threat Mitigation: Enforced stringent access controls to confidential information.

Outcome: This multifaceted strategy significantly reduced vulnerabilities, enhanced resilience, and ensured business continuity while maintaining public trust.

Conclusion

Sophisticated cyberattacks, insider threats, and the impacts of climate change pose significant threats to the protection of critical infrastructure. Building resilience requires ongoing security training, evolutionary design, and real-time monitoring through the use of AI and IoT. A balanced strategy that combines technological and human approaches, along with strong governance, is essential to prevent disruption. Implementing robust IoT security for critical infrastructure ensures that connected devices and systems remain protected against emerging cyber-physical risks, enabling utilities and other sectors to maintain operational continuity and resilience in an increasingly digital environment.

Want to explore how your organization can strengthen infrastructure resilience against evolving threats? Connect with our experts to assess vulnerabilities, design adaptive security frameworks, and future-proof your operations. Reach out to us at eugene.comms@LTM.com| Opens Email to start the conversation.

References

¹Critical infrastructure faces 30 percent surge in cyber-attacks, KnowBe4 report highlights, Anna Riberio, industrialcyber,  August 28, 2024: https://industrialcyber.co/critical-infrastructure/critical-infrastructure-faces-30-percent-surge-in-cyber-attacks-knowbe4-report-highlights/

Géry, Aude. 2024. How Technology Builds Resilience in Critical Infrastructure Security. Retrieved from https://online.nccu.edu/blog/technology-in-critical-infrastructure-security/

Ismail, S., Sitnikova, E., and Slay, J. 2015. SCADA Systems Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructures.

Kinsella, Jonathon. 2025. Security Threats to Critical Infrastructure: The Human Factor. Retrieved from http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/8391/7/Security%20Threats%20to%20Critical%20Infrastructure%20The%20Human%20Factor.pdf

Noya. 2022. The Importance of Critical Infrastructure Security. EIS Council. Retrieved from https://eiscouncil.org/critical-infrastructure-security/ [eiscouncil.org]

Pawlak, Patryk. 2023. Research, Development, and Innovation for Enhancing Resilience. Retrieved from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/rdi_for_resilience_of_cyber-phys_critical_infrastructure_needs_strategic_actions_508c.pdf

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 2024. Why the World Needs a New Cyber Treaty for Critical Infrastructure. Retrieved from https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/03/why-the-world-needs-a-new-cyber-treaty-for-critical-infrastructure