This data is provided by specialists from the InfoWatch Expert and Analytical Center (EAC) in their analytical review "Trends in the Field of Information Security for Industrial Control Systems, 2024-2025". Companies' investments in information security for automated process control systems (IACS) have quadrupled globally over the past five years, exceeding $20 billion, and analysts believe that businesses will continue to increase spending in this area in the coming years.
Experts from the InfoWatch EAC cite data from the consulting company KPMG, which conducted a study on IACS cybersecurity worldwide. According to the results, 65% of the organizations surveyed use firewalls to protect industrial infrastructure, 58% use next-generation firewalls and passive intrusion detection tools, 52% use active intrusion prevention tools, 34% use quarantine environments to check traffic (so-called "sandboxes"), and 29% use unidirectional gateways.
Specialized information security monitoring centers (Security Operations Center, SOC) play an important role in protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats. At the same time, only one in ten companies worldwide has a SOC dedicated to IACS, with most companies using it for both general and industrial networks, according to experts from the InfoWatch EAC.
If we consider other areas of security in enterprises, the real sector also pays great attention to network segmentation, the implementation of access control tools, vulnerability management, detection and response to attacks on endpoints, the security of remote sites, and ensuring disaster recovery and backup of critical information.
Over the past few years, the global industry has significantly changed its approach to building information security systems, according to the authors of the study.
"If earlier the main investments were directed to the purchase of equipment, software and services, now personnel training programs, the search for information security specialists and supply chain audits are becoming increasingly important. The key driver for the growth of investment in the security of industrial enterprises has been increased regulation by the state," says Sergey Sleptsov, Chief Analyst at InfoWatch EAC.
Total spending on the protection of industrial networks worldwide exceeded $20 billion in 2024. Analysts note that the dynamics of investment in this area roughly coincide with the growth in the number and intensity of attacks: the number of attacks from 2021 to 2025 during a period of acute geopolitical tension has almost tripled, and spending on IACS security has doubled. The largest amount of investment in infrastructure protection is in industries with complex technological processes and automated production, such as energy, oil and gas, chemical, automotive and pharmaceutical industries. And in the next five years, investment in IACS security will continue to grow.
"According to international experts, firewalls, intrusion detection tools and vulnerability management tools will be the most in-demand information security tools in the world. The fastest growing segments are remote access protection, risk management and intrusion detection tools. In Russia, purchases are more shifted towards firewalls and endpoint protection, and purchases of intrusion detection and risk and vulnerability management tools are also gaining momentum," notes Sergey Sleptsov.
This study used reviews, studies, and surveys of end users prepared by leading organizations in the field of IACS security. The following materials were studied:
• 160 ICS/OT (IACS) security vendors
• 32 analytical and consulting companies
• 43 industrial associations, government agencies in the field of information security
• 65 news agencies in the field of information and operational technologies
The study presents summarized data based on the analysis of the collected information, as well as conclusions based on the original methodologies of the expert and analytical center of InfoWatch Group.