From Critical Infrastructure and Industrial Lines to Smart Buildings. What About Security?
28. marca 2025
We are an industrial country in a world that is in a cyber war. Further growth without increasing cyber resilience is not possible.
Operational Technology security is key to everyday life.
Let's look at Slovakia's gross domestic product structure or where you go to work. An industrial park or an office in a smart building? Do you use healthcare services, energy suppliers, transportation, or go to a shopping center? All these areas are already packed with technologies. Artificial intelligence, cloud, and 5G are bringing further challenges for Operational Technology (OT) security.
While awareness of IT cybersecurity in companies and state organizations is increasing, "OT security will still have to fight this battle," says Michal Srnec from Aliter Technologies .
Important Role
"Modernization of operational technologies is a significant area and challenge for security," evaluates the trend Maroš Trnka, head of the information technology department at Vodohospodárska výstavba.
In the energy sector, for example, control systems have been in operation for over twenty years. At that time, manufactured components or the control systems themselves were often designed more for longevity than security.
The security of these systems is increasing through the application of measures, but Slovakia faces a radical step. New control systems in the energy sector must now have parameters that meet the strictest OT security requirements.
Militarization of Technologies
We live in an era where technologies themselves, or their misuse, are becoming weapons. As we see east of our borders, the offensive begins with an attack on critical infrastructure.
With the amendment of the cybersecurity law, growing attacks, and the geopolitical situation, companies will increasingly deal with OT security. "We are inevitably facing practical implementation of changes, security tools, segmentation, and security strategies," predicts Maroš Trnka.
He immediately points out a chronic ailment - the lack of qualified experts in OT security. This also reopens the question of quality suppliers.
Traditional Problem
Operational security is characterized by dependence on specialized hardware and software suppliers. Third-party risk means that suppliers provide, support, and often develop specific technologies. While the local network infrastructure is in the hands of the company, the "keys to the mixer" are with the supplier.
According to cybersecurity expert Roman Čupka's experience, it often happens that the operator of information systems and critical infrastructure has no access to the security design of components and must rely solely on their manufacturers.
Paradoxically, manufacturers are not subject to such strict legislative frameworks as operators, so it is important that the "circle be closed". The EU Cyber Resilience Act should define security frameworks next year not only for IT manufacturers but also for OT technology manufacturers, ensuring their security lifecycle through standards and measures.
Let´s Move Forward
Many people automatically associate Operational Technologies or IoT technologies with industry or energy production and distribution. "Besides these areas, we can find these technologies in seemingly non-traditional environments," warns Tomáš Baksa, a business specialist at KFB Control.
Whether we enter a business center, shopping gallery, bank, or airport, dozens and hundreds of small helpers are installed everywhere. They make our lives more comfortable, pleasant, and efficient.
However, not all these IoT helpers were designed with cybersecurity in mind. They are often connected through various applications across the organization and are quite difficult to segment. Therefore, they represent attractive targets for attackers and threats to organizations.
Because of an Electric Frenzy
Cybersecurity consultant for critical infrastructure Martin Fábry draws attention to the cybersecurity of charging stations. This is a new topic worth considering, given that electromobility in Slovakia is rising sharply, with approximately one-third more charging stations added in the last year.
Currently, there are more than two thousand public charging points for electric vehicles in almost nine hundred locations. These "chargers" are equipped with intelligent technologies, which opens the door to potential cyber threats. Cyberattacks here can have serious consequences, from endangering transportation safety to network disruption and extortion of operators.
And a Smart Frenzy
The very term "smart buildings" means they are equipped with advanced technologies for management and optimization. This includes lighting, heating, ventilation, elevators, security, and other critical functions.
"In Slovakia, the current situation is that smart building security is almost never addressed. The security manager often doesn't even know that something like this exists in the building and should be dealt with," assesses Martin Fábry.
Building management system protection is often at a low level. Yet, cybersecurity of smart buildings is a key aspect that we must not underestimate. In Slovakia, this is still a little-known topic, but it is perceived very intensively abroad.
It's Already Happening
A building management system can be misused, for example, for cryptocurrency mining. Tomáš Baksa cites a case where an operator noticed unusually high load on building management system components. "After applying a security probe in the network, it was revealed that this was caused by an unauthorized crypto mining software installed and managed from an external location," he says about the successful outcome.
Another example of a security incident is the failure of cooling systems in a data center in the middle of summer. Within a few hours, it caused server overheating, which led to an urgent requirement to shut them down.
Source: HNšpeciál. 2024. “Kritická infraštruktúra, priemyselné linky až po smart budovy. Aká je bezpečnosť?” HN Online.sk, August 23, 2024. https://hnonline.sk/hn-special/96165504-kriticka-infrastruktura-priemyselne-linky-az-po-smart-budovy-aka-je-bezpecnost. Accessed: 27. 3. 2025
Let's look at Slovakia's gross domestic product structure or where you go to work. An industrial park or an office in a smart building? Do you use healthcare services, energy suppliers, transportation, or go to a shopping center? All these areas are already packed with technologies. Artificial intelligence, cloud, and 5G are bringing further challenges for Operational Technology (OT) security.
While awareness of IT cybersecurity in companies and state organizations is increasing, "OT security will still have to fight this battle," says Michal Srnec from Aliter Technologies .
Important Role
"Modernization of operational technologies is a significant area and challenge for security," evaluates the trend Maroš Trnka, head of the information technology department at Vodohospodárska výstavba.
In the energy sector, for example, control systems have been in operation for over twenty years. At that time, manufactured components or the control systems themselves were often designed more for longevity than security.
The security of these systems is increasing through the application of measures, but Slovakia faces a radical step. New control systems in the energy sector must now have parameters that meet the strictest OT security requirements.
Militarization of Technologies
We live in an era where technologies themselves, or their misuse, are becoming weapons. As we see east of our borders, the offensive begins with an attack on critical infrastructure.
With the amendment of the cybersecurity law, growing attacks, and the geopolitical situation, companies will increasingly deal with OT security. "We are inevitably facing practical implementation of changes, security tools, segmentation, and security strategies," predicts Maroš Trnka.
He immediately points out a chronic ailment - the lack of qualified experts in OT security. This also reopens the question of quality suppliers.
Traditional Problem
Operational security is characterized by dependence on specialized hardware and software suppliers. Third-party risk means that suppliers provide, support, and often develop specific technologies. While the local network infrastructure is in the hands of the company, the "keys to the mixer" are with the supplier.
According to cybersecurity expert Roman Čupka's experience, it often happens that the operator of information systems and critical infrastructure has no access to the security design of components and must rely solely on their manufacturers.
Paradoxically, manufacturers are not subject to such strict legislative frameworks as operators, so it is important that the "circle be closed". The EU Cyber Resilience Act should define security frameworks next year not only for IT manufacturers but also for OT technology manufacturers, ensuring their security lifecycle through standards and measures.
Let´s Move Forward
Many people automatically associate Operational Technologies or IoT technologies with industry or energy production and distribution. "Besides these areas, we can find these technologies in seemingly non-traditional environments," warns Tomáš Baksa, a business specialist at KFB Control.
Whether we enter a business center, shopping gallery, bank, or airport, dozens and hundreds of small helpers are installed everywhere. They make our lives more comfortable, pleasant, and efficient.
However, not all these IoT helpers were designed with cybersecurity in mind. They are often connected through various applications across the organization and are quite difficult to segment. Therefore, they represent attractive targets for attackers and threats to organizations.
Because of an Electric Frenzy
Cybersecurity consultant for critical infrastructure Martin Fábry draws attention to the cybersecurity of charging stations. This is a new topic worth considering, given that electromobility in Slovakia is rising sharply, with approximately one-third more charging stations added in the last year.
Currently, there are more than two thousand public charging points for electric vehicles in almost nine hundred locations. These "chargers" are equipped with intelligent technologies, which opens the door to potential cyber threats. Cyberattacks here can have serious consequences, from endangering transportation safety to network disruption and extortion of operators.
And a Smart Frenzy
The very term "smart buildings" means they are equipped with advanced technologies for management and optimization. This includes lighting, heating, ventilation, elevators, security, and other critical functions.
"In Slovakia, the current situation is that smart building security is almost never addressed. The security manager often doesn't even know that something like this exists in the building and should be dealt with," assesses Martin Fábry.
Building management system protection is often at a low level. Yet, cybersecurity of smart buildings is a key aspect that we must not underestimate. In Slovakia, this is still a little-known topic, but it is perceived very intensively abroad.
It's Already Happening
A building management system can be misused, for example, for cryptocurrency mining. Tomáš Baksa cites a case where an operator noticed unusually high load on building management system components. "After applying a security probe in the network, it was revealed that this was caused by an unauthorized crypto mining software installed and managed from an external location," he says about the successful outcome.
Another example of a security incident is the failure of cooling systems in a data center in the middle of summer. Within a few hours, it caused server overheating, which led to an urgent requirement to shut them down.
Source: HNšpeciál. 2024. “Kritická infraštruktúra, priemyselné linky až po smart budovy. Aká je bezpečnosť?” HN Online.sk, August 23, 2024. https://hnonline.sk/hn-special/96165504-kriticka-infrastruktura-priemyselne-linky-az-po-smart-budovy-aka-je-bezpecnost. Accessed: 27. 3. 2025
The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic continues its series of articles introducing both the public and the professional community to the individual sectors of critical infrastructure as defined by Act No. 367/2025 Coll. on Critical Infrastructure and on Amendments to Certain Acts. Following sectors such as energy, transport and finance, we now turn to a sector that is part of the daily life of citizens as well as the functioning of the state – postal services.
Asociácia kritickej infraštruktúry Slovenskej republiky pokračuje v sérii článkov, ktorými verejnosti aj odbornej obci predstavuje jednotlivé sektory kritickej infraštruktúry definované zákonom č. 367/2025 Z. z. o kritickej infraštruktúre a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov. Po sektoroch ako energetika, doprava či financie sa tentoraz venujeme sektoru, ktorý je súčasťou každodenného života občanov aj fungovania štátu – poštovým službám.
Until recently, the security of critical infrastructure was associated mainly with the protection of physical facilities, energy sources, or state systems. Today, however, it is increasingly clear that the real vulnerability often lies outside the organisation itself: in its supply chains, technology partners, and external services.
Ešte donedávna sa bezpečnosť kritickej infraštruktúry spájala najmä s ochranou fyzických objektov, energetických zdrojov či štátnych systémov. Dnes však čoraz jasnejšie vidíme, že skutočná zraniteľnosť sa často nachádza mimo samotnej organizácie: v jej dodávateľských reťazcoch, technologických partneroch a externých službách.
V januári 2024 zamestnanec finančnej spoločnosti v Hongkongu uskutočnil prevod v hodnote 25 miliónov amerických dolárov. Urobil tak po videokonferencii s finančným riaditeľom a kolegami z centrály, ktorá pôsobila úplne autenticky. Na konferencii však bol jediný skutočný človek on sám. Ostatní účastníci boli deepfake repliky vygenerované generatívnou umelou inteligenciou na základe verejne dostupných záznamov. Tento prípad, zdokumentovaný hongkonskou políciou, neoznámil príchod novej hrozby. Oznámil, že hrozba je už tu a funguje v produkčnom režime.
The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic is proud to present the success of two of its members, Decent Cybersecurity s. r. o. and FREQUENTIS Solutions & Services s. r. o., which have jointly secured funding for the four-year research and development project COSMOS-SECURE. The project, with total eligible expenditures of EUR 4,144,273.37 and a requested non-repayable financial contribution of EUR 2,981,048.65, focuses on an area that, until recently, belonged mainly to major space agencies: secure voice communication between ground stations, satellites, and spacecraft crews in an era when quantum computers are beginning to challenge the existing foundations of cryptography.
Asociácia kritickej infraštruktúry Slovenskej republiky s hrdosťou predstavuje úspech dvoch svojich členov, spoločností Decent Cybersecurity s. r. o. a FREQUENTIS Solutions & Services s. r. o., ktoré spoločne získali financovanie pre štvorročný výskumno-vývojový projekt COSMOS-SECURE. Projekt s celkovými oprávnenými výdavkami vo výške 4 144 273,37 € a požadovanou výškou nenávratného finančného príspevku 2 981 048,65 € sa zameriava na to, čo bolo donedávna doménou veľkých vesmírnych agentúr: bezpečnú hlasovú komunikáciu medzi pozemnými strediskami, satelitmi a posádkami vesmírnych lodí v ére, keď kvantové počítače začínajú spochybňovať existujúce kryptografické základy.
The Slovak Republic is in the final phase of a process that is fundamentally changing the approach to the protection of critical infrastructure. In accordance with Act No. 367/2024 Coll. on Critical Infrastructure, the list of entities that will be officially identified as critical for the functioning of the state is to be completed in July 2026. This step represents one of the most important milestones in the implementation of the new regulatory framework, the aim of which is to increase the resilience of key systems to crises, cyber threats and service outages. A new framework of responsibility Inclusion among the critical entities will not be of a merely formal nature. For the organisations concerned, it will mean the introduction of precisely defined obligations in the area of risk management, security measures, incident management and the very continuity of the provision of essential services within the meaning of the Act. For many entities, this represents a fundamental change in the approach to security, which will require systematic preparation even before the actual inclusion in the list. Growing interest of companies in the regulation Already in this period it is evident that potentially affected entities are beginning to intensively follow the development of the legislation and of the implementing rules being prepared. The reason is the need to set up internal processes in good time, so that the transition to the new regime can take place without major operational complications. The growing demanding nature of the requirements is at the same time increasing the demand for expert guidance and methodological support. The role of the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic In this context, the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic (AKI SR) plays a significant role, as it has long been creating a professional platform for cooperation between the state sector, regulators and operators of essential services across all sectors of critical infrastructure, such as for example energy, transport, healthcare or digital infrastructure. As Tibor Straka, President of AKI SR, states: “The process of identifying critical entities is not merely a legislative obligation. It is the moment that determines how resilient the state will be in real crisis situations.” The Association points out in this connection that the period before the final inclusion in the list is the most important one for organisations from the point of view of preparation and adaptation. Room for timely preparation Companies that may be part of the list of critical entities currently have a unique opportunity to prepare for the new obligations systematically and well in advance. In this area, AKI SR provides expert support, methodological guidance and a platform for the sharing of experience between the individual sectors. Cooperation as the foundation of resilience The implementation of the new system for the protection of critical infrastructure will be successful only if it is built on close cooperation between the public and the private sector. In this respect, AKI SR is developing a systematic dialogue with the central bodies of state administration that exercise state administration in the individual segments of critical infrastructure. With many of them, the Association has concluded memoranda of cooperation, which makes possible a more effective interconnection of expert capacities, the exchange of information and coordination in addressing key security topics. In the process, AKI SR thus acts as a natural communication and expert bridge between the regulator and the entities of critical infrastructure, while helping to connect legislative requirements with their practical implementation in the individual sectors. A new stage in the protection of critical systems The finalisation of the list of critical entities in July 2026 represents a fundamental step in the modernisation of the system for strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure in Slovakia. The new legislative framework sets clearer rules, but at the same time significantly raises the demands placed on the preparedness of the organisations concerned. The outcome of the entire process will depend on how well it is possible to align the regulation with the reality of the operation of critical entities.
Slovenská republika sa nachádza v záverečnej fáze procesu, ktorý zásadne mení prístup k ochrane kritickej infraštruktúry. V súlade so zákonom č. 367/2024 Z. z. o kritickej infraštruktúre má byť v júli 2026 dokončený zoznam subjektov, ktoré budú oficiálne identifikované ako kritické pre fungovanie štátu. Tento krok predstavuje jeden z najdôležitejších míľnikov implementácie nového regulačného rámca, ktorý má za cieľ zvýšiť odolnosť kľúčových systémov voči krízam, kybernetickým hrozbám a výpadkom služieb. Nový rámec zodpovednosti Zaradenie medzi kritické subjekty nebude mať len formálny charakter. Pre dotknuté organizácie bude znamenať zavedenie presne definovaných povinností v oblasti riadenia rizík, bezpečnostných opatrení, incident manažmentu a samotnej kontinuity poskytovania základných služieb v zmysle zákona. Pre mnohé subjekty ide o zásadnú zmenu prístupu k bezpečnosti, ktorá si bude vyžadovať systematickú prípravu ešte pred samotným zaradením do zoznamu. Zvyšujúci sa záujem firiem o reguláciu Už v tomto období je zrejmé, že potenciálne dotknuté subjekty začínajú intenzívne sledovať vývoj legislatívy a pripravovaných vykonávacích pravidiel. Dôvodom je potreba včas nastaviť interné procesy tak, aby prechod do nového režimu prebehol bez zásadných prevádzkových komplikácií. Rastúca náročnosť požiadaviek zároveň zvyšuje dopyt po odbornom vedení a metodickej podpore. Úloha Asociácie kritickej infraštruktúry SR V tomto kontexte zohráva významnú rolu Asociácia kritickej infraštruktúry Slovenskej republiky (AKI SR) , ktorá dlhodobo vytvára odbornú platformu pre spoluprácu medzi štátnym sektorom, regulátormi a prevádzkovateľmi základných služieb naprieč všetkými sektormi kritickej infraštruktúry, ako je napríklad energetika, doprava, zdravotníctvo či digitálna infraštruktúra. Ako uvádza prezident AKI SR Tibor Straka: „Proces identifikácie kritických subjektov nie je len legislatívna povinnosť. Je to moment, ktorý určuje, ako odolný bude štát v reálnych krízových situáciách.“ Asociácia v tejto súvislosti upozorňuje, že obdobie pred finálnym zaradením do zoznamu je pre organizácie najdôležitejšie z hľadiska prípravy a adaptácie. Priestor na včasnú prípravu Firmy, ktoré môžu byť súčasťou zoznamu kritických subjektov, majú v súčasnosti jedinečnú príležitosť pripraviť sa na nové povinnosti systematicky a s dostatočným predstihom. AKI SR v tejto oblasti poskytuje odbornú podporu, metodické usmernenia a platformu na zdieľanie skúseností medzi jednotlivými sektormi. Spolupráca ako základ odolnosti Implementácia nového systému ochrany kritickej infraštruktúry bude úspešná len vtedy, ak bude postavená na úzkej spolupráci medzi verejným a súkromným sektorom. V tomto smere AKI SR rozvíja systematický dialóg s ústrednými orgánmi štátnej správy, ktoré vykonávajú štátnu správu na jednotlivých úsekoch kritickej infraštruktúry. S mnohými z nich má asociácia uzatvorené memorandá o spolupráci, čo umožňuje efektívnejšie prepájanie odborných kapacít, výmenu informácií a koordináciu pri riešení kľúčových bezpečnostných tém. AKI SR tak v procese vystupuje ako prirodzený komunikačný a odborný most medzi regulátorom a subjektami kritickej infraštruktúry, pričom pomáha prepájať legislatívne požiadavky s ich praktickou implementáciou v jednotlivých sektoroch. Nová etapa ochrany kritických systémov Finalizácia zoznamu kritických subjektov v júli 2026 predstavuje zásadný krok v modernizácii systému zvyšovania odolnosti kritickej infraštruktúry na Slovensku. Nový legislatívny rámec nastavuje jasnejšie pravidlá, ale zároveň výrazne zvyšuje nároky na pripravenosť dotknutých organizácií. Výsledok celého procesu bude závisieť od toho, ako dobre sa podarí zosúladiť reguláciu s realitou prevádzky kritických subjektov.
In August 2023, something happened on the Polish railways that until then had belonged to the realm of scenarios, not reality. Unknown actors abused the radio system for emergency stopping (radio-stop) and transmitted a signal that brought more than 20 trains to a halt in various regions of the country. The attack required no access to digital systems and no sophisticated malware. A radio transmitter and knowledge of publicly available tones were enough. It was a demonstration of why rail transport ranks among the most complex categories of critical infrastructure. It brings together older analogue and radio technology with contemporary IT and OT systems, and each of these layers has its own vulnerabilities.