58% of CPS Operators Say Attacks Affected Operations, New Research Finds
Average financial losses reached $1.04 million per incident affecting operations, with operational downtime averaging three days.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Oct 07, 2026
Fifty-eight percent of cyber-physical system operators said a cyberattack affected their operational environments in the past 12 months, a global Claroty survey found.
Claroty partnered with Sapio Research to survey 2,000 executives and managers across 16 industries and more than 40 countries. Each respondent participated in or influenced decisions involving technology purchases and implementation.
Incidents affecting operations cost an average of $1.04 million, and downtime from a cyber incident averaged three days. Operational downtime was also the most frequently reported consequence, selected by 43% of respondents. Safety incidents and hazards followed at 40%, while 35% cited financial losses.
Third-party access was another source of operational risk. Seventy-five percent of respondents said they experienced at least one incident affecting operations that was related to third-party access, while 49% reported partial or no monitoring of third-party connections. Only 16% said their organizations had fully integrated information technology and operational security.
Seventy percent said AI is used in their operational environments, and 71% considered it a baseline requirement for cybersecurity purchases. Respondents viewed AI-powered cyberattacks, selected by 37%, as a greater risk to operational integrity than ransomware at 27%, supply chain compromises at 23% and legacy operational technology assets at 21%.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.