Rising Threats to Critical Infrastructures

Cybersecurity within the public sector has always been a high priority, and in recent years, there’s been a sharp increase in the number of sophisticated cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure.

According to The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), domestic and foreign adversaries are almost certain to continue posing threats to the integrity of the critical infrastructure over the next year.

For public sector contractors tasked with safeguarding these vital infrastructures, it's crucial to understand the evolving cyber threats and how to deploy robust security solutions. One of the most effective ways to secure critical environments is through the deployment of Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs).

Most Common Critical Infrastructure Attack Types

Some of the most common threats leveraged against critical sectors today include:

• Ransomware Attacks: Criminal groups are targeting critical infrastructures with ransomware that locks essential systems and demands payment for their release. Such attacks can disrupt services, compromise sensitive data, and result in significant financial damage. Public sector contractors must be prepared to prevent these attacks before they can make an impact.
• Application Control: Many cyberattacks exploit vulnerabilities in specific applications to gain access to a network. Exploiting misconfigurations or bypassing application whitelisting are some of the methods cybercriminals sidestep controls designed to prevent unauthorized software from executing. 
• Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks: These attacks overload networks and systems by flooding them with traffic. When critical infrastructure is the target, a successful DoS or DDoS attack can incapacitate services, leading to widespread disruptions.
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): State-sponsored hackers and cybercriminals are leveraging APTs to infiltrate networks. These highly sophisticated and persistent attacks often target government and critical infrastructure systems with the intention of stealing intellectual property, collecting surveillance data, or undermining national security.

How Forcepoint Protects Against Critical Infrastructure Attacks

Forcepoint NGFW solutions provide advanced security features that mitigate these risks, making them an essential tool for public sector contractors tasked with protecting critical infrastructure.

• Zero Trust Application Control for Zero Trust Network Access: Forcepoint Endpoint Context Agent (ECA) monitors the executable applications on the endpoint, user activity, and the network details associated with the connection used by the application. This data is securely transmitted through an out-of-band, encrypted, and authenticated metadata connection to the Forcepoint NGFW, ensuring precise application and user identification while enforcing Zero Trust at the application level. This capability prevents unauthorized applications or services from running on the network. By restricting access to potentially harmful applications, Forcepoint limits the ability of cybercriminals to gain a foothold in the infrastructure.
• Multi-layer inspection and threat detection: Forcepoint delivers a comprehensive approach to network security. It combines access control, application identification, deep inspection, and file filtering, so organizations can optimize both security and system performance. Deep inspection analyzes network traffic at a granular level, allowing for the detection of advanced threats and zero-day attacks. File filtering capability enables administrators to block the transfer of specific file types, preventing the transmission of malware and other threats. Together, these capabilities deliver deep multi-layer inspection for granular visibility and strict security enforcement throughout the network, even at remote sites.
• Integrated Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) and IDS: Forcepoint NGFWs come equipped with integrated IPS and IDS, which proactively identify and block known attack patterns. It provides real-time protection against a range of threats, including DoS and DDoS attacks, and other types of exploits. Administrators gain a full view of network activity and can respond quickly to mitigate threats. Suspicious packets are identified and blocked, TCP sessions can be terminated, and malicious content is removed from the network. All these actions can be taken in real-time and in accordance with security policies, ensuring that your most critical data and application assets are protected from harm.
• Advanced Malware Protection and Detection (AMDP): AMDP sandbox service integrates with Forcepoint NGFWs to safely detonate and analyze suspicious files outside of the network environment, preventing the spread of known and unknown malware, including zero-day attacks. Available as an optional service, AMDP protects against ransomware attacks, which have become a significant threat to critical infrastructure. AMDP even supports Linux OS, the most common operating system used in backed servers.

Best Practices for Public Sector Contractors

Forcepoint NGFW delivers a strong layer of defense, but it should be part of a broader cybersecurity strategy. Here are a few best practices for public sector contractors to enhance infrastructure security:

• Regular Patch Management: Ensure that all software and systems are up to date with the latest patches to fix vulnerabilities.
• Adhere to regulatory security frameworks:  Public sector contractors should consistently adhere to regulatory security frameworks and compliances such National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, and the latest FIPS – 140-03 certification to ensure compliance, mitigate risks, and protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and cyber threats.
• Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Ensure that all critical data is regularly backed up and that a disaster recovery plan is in place to quickly restore services in the event of a breach.

As public sector organizations continue to face a dynamic and increasingly hostile threat environment, the need for robust cybersecurity solutions has never been more critical. Forcepoint’s Next-Generation Firewall provides a comprehensive solution to help protect the vital assets. Forcepoint NGFW ensures that public sector organizations can meet the growing cybersecurity challenges of today and the future. 

Learn more about how Forcepoint NGFW supports the public sector in safeguarding critical Infrastructure.