Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are increasing in frequency and sophistication, driven by the growing number of connected devices and the speed of emerging technologies, according to Thales. Speaking to Euronews Next at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Eva Rudin, senior vice president of mobile connectivity solutions at Thales, highlighted the rising risks facing governments, hospitals, and everyday consumers.
“We have more probabilities of getting hacked, getting data compromised,” Rudin said. She explained that as connectivity expands, so does the potential attack surface. Each new device or network endpoint increases the risk for intrusion.
Artificial intelligence is changing the dynamics of cyber threats. AI-powered attackers can detect and exploit vulnerabilities far faster than human teams, forcing security providers to adopt equally advanced tools. Thales is applying machine learning and AI to its own security solutions to counter these threats. “Everything is not black with AI. AI is something that we are using to improve our response for our protection, so we use AI as well to make our solutions better. It’s kind of AI against AI,” Rudin said.
Cyber risks are not limited to government or industrial systems. Connected devices in homes, including smart speakers, cameras, and other IoT devices, often lack strong security protections. Rudin stressed that consumers without expert knowledge cannot reliably assess which devices are safe. Regulation is essential, she said, noting that Europe’s Cyber Resilience Act, set to take effect in 2027, will impose mandatory security requirements on connected devices sold across the EU.
The stakes extend to national security. Rudin pointed to coordinated cyberattacks on smart metering infrastructure or energy grids as potential threats, citing lessons from the conflict in Ukraine, where civilian infrastructure was targeted. “Having cybersecurity regulated… I think it’s the best insurance we can get for the future,” she said.
Thales is also preparing for longer-term challenges, including quantum computing. Rudin described “Q-Day,” when a quantum computer could break current public encryption systems, putting online communications, financial transactions, and critical infrastructure at risk. Sophisticated actors are already collecting encrypted data in anticipation of such breakthroughs, a tactic known as “harvest now, decrypt later.”
To counter this, Thales has developed “crypto agility,” allowing SIM and eSIM cards already in use to be updated over the air with quantum-resistant cryptography. This approach ensures that sensitive data remains protected even as computing power advances. “A car designed today will come to market in three years and be in use for another 20 years. Who knows where we will be on quantum computers in 20 years? That is why we have to start preparing now,” Rudin said.
Thales is aligning all its products and software solutions with emerging industry standards for quantum-safe cryptography, emphasizing that protection must begin today. “We need to protect the data today,” Rudin said. “The industry should already be protecting itself now.”
The warnings from Thales underscore the growing complexity of cybersecurity in a hyperconnected world and the urgent need for regulation, advanced AI defenses, and preparation for quantum threats.
