The analysis “ Cybersecurity & OT: Resilience for a more digital, connected and critical wind industry” , developed by Vestas, a global leader in wind energy solutions, points out that the expansion of energy produced from wind and the increasing digitalization of its operations are taking cybersecurity from the technical realm to the center of business decisions.
Based on an analysis of the trends that are redefining the protection of energy infrastructure, Vestas warns that the industry must integrate cyber risk management throughout the entire life cycle of wind farms, from their design and commissioning to operation and maintenance.
“Modern power plants rely on SCADA systems, remote connectivity, centralized monitoring, communication networks, and operational support platforms. These technologies are essential for operating and optimizing generation, but they also expand the area that needs to be protected,” warns Vinicius Ribeiro Niedzwiecki , Head of Power Plant Solutions at Vestas for Latin America.
“As wind energy gains a larger share of Latin America’s electricity mix, a disruption in these environments can affect the continuity of generation, compromise the value of assets, and, depending on its scope, create challenges for the stability of electrical systems. Therefore, Vestas believes that cyber resilience must be on the radar of senior management and be part of decisions regarding investment, operation, and risk management,” it adds.
The expert adds: “The next stage of wind energy digitalization will not be defined solely by how much we can monitor or automate, but by our ability to do so securely and resiliently. Cybersecurity must be a design feature and a permanent operational discipline. Companies that treat it only as an IT requirement will be reacting too late.”
Several recent studies confirm that cybersecurity is gaining importance on the agenda of the energy, electrical systems and wind power industries:
The Energy Cyber Priority 2025 report, based on a survey of 375 energy sector professionals, indicates that 65% believe that the leadership of their organizations views cybersecurity as the greatest current risk to the business.
An analysis by the US Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory identified incidents that affected organizations or facilities related to wind energy in at least seven countries over a ten-year period.
According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025 , the global average cost of a data breach reached USD 4.44 million, while in the energy sector it reached approximately USD 4.83 million .
Meanwhile, the Energy & Utilities Risk Radar Report 2025 reported an 80% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks targeting the energy and utilities sector.
Similarly, the Dragos 2025 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report reported an increase of over 87% in ransomware activity against industrial organizations compared to the previous year.
More recently, the Dragos 2026 OT/ICS Cybersecurity Report again highlighted the sustained growth of this threat, reporting an additional year-on-year increase of 64% during 2025.
Although the methodologies and the universes analyzed differ, the research points in the same direction: cyber risk is now part of the agenda for operational continuity, governance, and competitiveness. According to Vestas' analysis, the challenge is not accumulating tools, but defining which assets are critical, who can access them, how to detect anomalous behavior, and how to recover operations.
“The industry has already moved beyond the stage of debating whether OT should be protected. The question now is how quickly organizations can transform visibility, access governance, vulnerability management, monitoring, and incident response into an integrated operational capability. Without that connection, a company can have controls in place and still not be prepared to make decisions during a real-world event,” said Eduardo Javier Zagal , Cyber Security Lead Specialist at Vestas for Latin America.
Five priorities for moving from protection to resilience
The analysis identifies 5 points of focus for owners and operators:
- Visibility of assets and connections. Knowing which assets are connected to the operational environment, how they communicate, and what dependencies exist is the basis for managing risk.
- Identity and access governance. Remote, privileged, and third-party access require clear responsibilities, traceability, and continuous review.
- Vulnerability management tailored to OT. Decisions must consider criticality, exposure, and operational constraints, avoiding mechanically transferring IT practices to the plant.
- Monitoring and response capability. Detecting early signs and having established procedures allows for rapid action without generating additional impacts on operations.
- Cybersecurity throughout the lifecycle. Design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, upgrades, and supplier relationships must be part of a single resilience strategy.
“Resilience isn’t bought as a one-off solution. It’s built through consistent decisions throughout the park’s lifespan. This requires connecting the technological architecture with the realities of operation, prioritizing based on the potential impact on generation, and continuously reviewing whether the controls are still responsive to a changing environment,” said Niedzwiecki .
Regulation as a starting point, not as a finish line
In markets such as the European Union and the United States, cybersecurity has become a key component of critical infrastructure protection. NIS2 has expanded expectations related to governance, risk management, incident notification, third-party access, supply chain, and operational resilience.
In Latin America, regulatory development is progressing at different paces. Chile is among the most advanced countries in the region, with the National Electric Coordinator's (CEN) Cybersecurity Standard for the Electricity Sector and the Cybersecurity Framework Law, Law No. 21,663.
“Regulatory compliance establishes a common minimum standard, but it doesn't replace a risk-based strategy. In wind energy, maturity is demonstrated when the organization can anticipate scenarios, assign responsibilities, and maintain sound operational decisions even under pressure. The trend will be greater accountability from senior management and deeper integration between business, OT, IT, and supplier teams,” Zagal stated.
The specialist warns that the evolution of cyber risk is raising expectations for the industry's technology partners: “It is no longer enough to offer isolated tools or controls. Owners and operators need strategic allies who understand wind technology, comprehend the interdependencies of operation, and integrate access management, vulnerability management, monitoring, incident response, and governance into a long-term resilience strategy. In response to this need, Vestas has developed an integrated cybersecurity management approach that connects these capabilities with the technology, lifecycle, and operational reality of each wind farm.”