CISA: Critical Infrastructure Must Master Isolation, Recovery

Summary

CISA has released new guidance warning US critical infrastructure operators of relentless intrusion attempts from nation-state actors positioned to disrupt operational technology networks. The CI Fortify initiative emphasizes two core capabilities: isolation (severing connections to prevent attack spread) and recovery (documentation, backups, and manual operation rehearsal). The guidance assumes that during geopolitical conflict, internet access and third-party services may become unreliable while hostile actors remain embedded in OT networks.

Full text

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued new guidance warning that US critical infrastructure operators face relentless intrusion attempts from nation-state actors whose ambitions go well beyond espionage. CISA has reiterated that adversaries have already embedded themselves inside critical systems and telecommunications networks, positioning themselves to cripple the operational technology (OT) that keeps American society running should a wider geopolitical conflict erupt. In response, the agency launched CI Fortify, an initiative designed to ensure that essential service providers such as public health, national defense, and economic systems can continue operating even during an active cyberattack. The program is built on the assumption that in a conflict scenario, internet access, vendors, and third-party service providers may all become unreliable, while hostile actors retain a foothold within OT networks. At the heart of CI Fortify are two capabilities that operators are urged to begin developing immediately. The first, isolation, involves deliberately severing connections to outside networks and business systems to prevent an attack from spreading to OT. The goal is to avoid a complete shutdown and establish an operating mode capable of sustaining delivery of essential services for weeks or even months in isolation. The second capability, recovery, focuses on what happens when isolation alone is not enough. Operators are advised to thoroughly document their systems, maintain up-to-date backups, and regularly rehearse restoring compromised components or switching to manual operations. CISA Acting Director Nick Andersen called on operators to review the guidance, put its recommendations into practice, and work directly with the agency to harden defenses.Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading. “The emphasis on isolation and recovery is important for maintaining continuity during disruption, particularly as critical infrastructure is increasingly in the crosshairs of geopolitical tension and AI accelerates how quickly vulnerabilities can be exploited,” said Duncan Greatwood, CEO of Xage Security. “However, if organizations don’t have control within the environment, then isolation on its own is not enough. Threats will often move through trusted connections, third parties, or compromised credentials long before a crisis response begins. The focus on segmentation and maintaining operations even in a degraded state is a meaningful step forward and more aligned with how these environments actually function,” Greatwood added. Related: EnOcean SmartServer Flaws Expose Buildings to Remote Hacking Related: Hundreds of Internet-Facing VNC Servers Expose ICS/OT Related: Serial-to-IP Converter Flaws Expose OT and Healthcare Systems to Hacking Written By Eduard Kovacs Eduard Kovacs (@EduardKovacs) is senior managing editor at SecurityWeek. He worked as a high school IT teacher before starting a career in journalism in 2011. Eduard holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial informatics and a master’s degree in computer techniques applied in electrical engineering. 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