As energy systems become more interconnected, cybersecurity will be more central to resilience. As energy systems become more interconnected, cybersecurity will be more central to resilience. Addressing cyber vulnerabilities is much more than a risk issue; it’s also a competitive need. Strengthening identity and access management and expanding cyber risk assessments can help. Energy companies are operating in an environment defined by infrastructure expansion, an evolving energy mix and growing reliance on digital systems. While higher margins in parts of the industry may support investment, cybersecurity risk continues to rise as technology becomes more central to operations. Addressing cyber vulnerabilities is much more than a risk issue; it’s also a competitive imperative, given that 81% of middle market organizations surveyed across all industries plan to increase their cybersecurity budget this year, according to the RSM US Middle Market Business Index Special Report: Cybersecurity 2026. Here are three of the most prominent factors that shape the cybersecurity landscape for energy companies: Across oil and gas, power and utilities, and renewables, companies are adopting advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, forecasting and decision making. These initiatives require increasing data and connectivity across distributed assets, increasing the opportunities for an attacker to move more easily across different networks. As digital connectivity expands and companies adopt more cloud-based technologies or look toward zero-trust solutions, identity and access management becomes critical. When systems span cloud platforms, third parties, mobile devices and remote infrastructure, companies need to go beyond traditional, perimeter-based security approaches. Comprehensive digital identity and access management approaches can help companies better protect themselves. In the power and utilities sector, the need to expand grid capacity to meet growing demand has accelerated investment in smarter grid-enhancing technologies. These tools can improve reliability and efficiency, but they also introduce new cyber dependencies. “Technology