Energy critical infrastructure under attack: incident analysis and implications for ICS/SCADA resilience

Abstract

Energy sector critical infrastructure has been increasingly targeted by cyber, physical, and hybrid attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in monitoring and control systems. This paper analyzes major security incidents affecting energy facilities over the past 10-15 years, with a particular focus on attacks that compromise measurement data, telemetry, and situational awareness. Based on incident analysis, the study identifies common attack patterns and resilience gaps and discusses their implications for the secure operation of energy systems. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for strengthening cyber resilience through measurement-aware monitoring, improved detection, and resilient recovery mechanisms in energy critical infrastructure.