CEO Warns: Connected Factories and Hospitals Expose Legacy Operational Technology to Modern Cyber Threats
On July 22, 2026, in an insightful interview, Yaniv Vardi, the CEO of Claroty—a company prominent in cybersecurity—highlighted the vast implications of advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and the risks associated with the integration of legacy operational technology (OT) systems in high-demand environments like factories and hospitals.
In today’s digitally interconnected world, physical artificial intelligence is revolutionizing various sectors by enabling robotics, automated manufacturing, healthcare operations, and data center infrastructures. Vardi emphasized that AI-driven insights are being rapidly translated into physical actions, significantly transforming how industries function. This pivotal advancement provides a pivotal technique to ensure that AI technologies not only exist in a vacuum of virtual space but rather influence tangible operations.
In Vardi’s view, this wave of industrial transformation propelled by AI necessitates a heightened focus on cyber-physical security. He cautioned that as sectors such as manufacturing and healthcare become increasingly connected, legacy control systems—originally designed without defense against contemporary cyber threats—are now vulnerable to existing and emerging digital attack vectors. These attacks can have severe physical consequences, thus escalating the urgency for organizations to reassess their security postures in light of these risks.
"AI is really providing the ability for these digital logic aspects to take physical actions and make it happen, make it real," Vardi elaborated. He anticipates a considerable market expansion surrounding robotics—projecting it could reach around $35 billion in the next seven years, predominantly fueled by the efficiencies and capabilities introduced by physical AI. This market potential signifies the impending next generation of the AI revolution, marking a departure from traditional applications to innovative implementations that amalgamate digital and physical realms.
During the interview, Vardi addressed additional pressing issues about the converging realms of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), emphasizing that this convergence is expanding the overall attack surface available to cyber adversaries. He noted that the blending of these two domains offers myriad advantages in process efficiency and data analysis. However, it also creates a melting pot of vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit.
He further elaborated on how threats in the public sector are increasingly being driven by nation-state actors, suggesting that organizations must remain vigilant against sophisticated and well-resourced adversaries. This growing trend highlights the necessity for organizations not only to bolster their defenses but also to adopt proactive security measures that can anticipate and neutralize potential threats before they manifest.
Vardi underlined that comprehensive asset visibility is key in this fight against cyber threats, advocating for organizations to utilize a multifaceted approach to discovery methods. Such a strategy allows entities to discern their vulnerabilities more accurately and develop robust security architectures that can withstand the barrage of modern cyber threats.
Before heading Claroty in 2020, Yaniv Vardi built an impressive career in various leadership roles, notably serving as the global managing director of Centrica Business Solutions International. Prior to that significant role, he was instrumental in steering Panoramic Power—an energy management solutions company—toward global recognition. His extensive experience uniquely positions him to understand the intersection of technology and security, enabling him to spearhead initiatives that effectively protect critical infrastructures.
In conclusion, as the next wave of technological advancements continues to unfold, organizations must adapt to the challenges that arise from the integration of AI and legacy systems. Vardi’s insights serve as a clarion call for industries to prioritize cyber-physical security, ensuring that the benefits of modern innovations do not come at the cost of security breaches that can lead to catastrophic outcomes. The overall message is clear: proactive measures, comprehensive visibility, and a thorough understanding of evolving cyber threats are essential components in safeguarding against potential vulnerabilities in an increasingly connected world.