NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Most Americans think cybercrime means stolen passwords or hacked credit cards, but today’s biggest cybersecurity threats can be far more consequential. Recently, Benny Czarny, Founder and CEO of OPSWAT and author of Cybersecurity Upside Down, conducted a satellite media tour in partnership with D S Simon Media’s YourUpdateTV to explain why America’s critical infrastructure has become the new frontline of global conflict.
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure continue to make headlines, leaving Americans wondering how threats have evolved and what can be done. Here are some expert insights from Czarny:
Why have systems like the power grid, water, and hospitals become such attractive targets for cyberattacks?
For Czarny, the answer comes down to vulnerability and impact. “These critical systems, like our water, our energy, are extremely easy targets because they are not really designed or built for today’s cybersecurity attacks,” he said. Adversaries choose these targets deliberately because a single breach can cause widespread harm. “Every successful attack is going to impact thousands of lives. Think about yourself without water, without energy.”
“Our enemies are very much aware of that and are leveraging that to attack us,” Czarny warned. “And this is very much happening now.” He points to a recent example that hit close to home when Georgia’s Clayton County Water Authority said cyber activity caused a water pressure drop that impacted 300,000 households and forced it to issue a water boil advisory.
How has cyber warfare changed and why is prevention now more important than detection?
The democratization of cyberattack technology has fundamentally changed the threat landscape. “Cyberattack technologies that were available only to a few governments only a few years ago are now available to everybody,” Czarny explained. “AI is leveling everything.”
This shift means the old model of detecting an attack after it has happened is no longer sufficient. “We need to move to a prevention-based approach,” he said.
Rather than waiting to respond to a breach, organizations protecting critical infrastructure must build systems strong enough to stop attacks before they cause harm, especially given how quickly and broadly the damage can spread once a critical system is compromised.
Looking ahead, what are the emerging threats we should be preparing for?
Czarny sees attacks on critical infrastructure as the defining cybersecurity challenge of the coming years. He calls for a new generation of protective technologies, including tools that go beyond the traditional firewall, and outlines many of them in his book, Cybersecurity Upside Down.
As the definition of critical infrastructure continues to expand to include space-based systems powering communications, navigation, AI, and global commerce, the urgency to fortify these systems with stronger, more modern defenses has never been greater.
What is the one thing you want the average family to know when it comes to protecting themselves in this new environment?
Czarny’s advice for families starts with the basics at home and extends to civic action. For personal protection, he recommends using a reputable antivirus, keeping all devices updated, and never opening links or emails from unknown senders. But he goes further, encouraging Americans to hold their elected officials accountable. “Talk to your government, talk to your congressman,” he said. “Ask them, what are you doing to protect our critical infrastructure? Compare your state to other states, maybe sometimes to other countries.” For Czarny, protecting America’s critical systems is not just a job for cybersecurity experts. It is a civic responsibility.
- To advance your cybersecurity knowledge and skills, visit OPSWAT’s free cybersecurity academy.
- To learn more about OPSWAT, visit opswat.com.
For a broader look at cybersecurity defense, Cybersecurity Upside Down is available as a hard copy and an audio book. OPSWAT is also producing a new docuseries, Into the Breach, hosted by MythBusters alum Kari Byron and designed to make cybersecurity understandable and engaging for audiences of all ages.
About Benny Czarny
Benny Czarny is the CEO and Founder of OPSWAT, a global leader in critical infrastructure protection. With over two decades of experience in cybersecurity, Benny has built OPSWAT into a trusted partner for governments and organizations protecting the world’s most critical systems. He is also the author of Cybersecurity Upside Down, a guide to understanding and navigating the evolving cyber threat landscape. Benny is a frequent speaker at major cybersecurity conferences and a leading voice on the intersection of technology, national security, and critical infrastructure protection.
About OPSWAT
Since 2002, OPSWAT has protected the world’s critical infrastructure by preventing known, unknown, and AI-generated threats before they disrupt operations. The MetaDefender™ Platform is OPSWAT’s AI-powered cybersecurity platform for IT, OT, and cross-domain environments, securing files, devices, and data transfers across cloud, on-premises, and air-gapped environments. By combining AI, machine learning, advanced threat prevention, and purpose-built hardware, OPSWAT protects critical operations through file security, peripheral media protection, managed file transfer, optical firewall technology, data diodes, and specialized training. Trusted worldwide, OPSWAT safeguards the systems modern society depends on. Learn more at www.opswat.com.
About D S Simon Media:
The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail, and non-profits. Established in 1986, the firm has won more than 100 industry awards.
About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a D S Simon Media property. This video and accompanying press release were produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of OPSWAT as part of a media tour.
Media Contact
Michael O’Donnell
D S Simon Media
212-736-2727
modonnell@dssimon.com
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/04dfd1be-230d-4f53-8715-588d6cc59efa
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