The Data Center’s Hidden Attack Surface: Why OT Security Can’t Wait

Data centers contain operational technology systems like power supplies, cooling units, and building management platforms that were designed for connectivity limited environments but are now routinely connected to networks using legacy protocols. These systems face growing cybersecurity risks because they sit outside traditional IT security frameworks, and when compromised they typically cause outages rather than data breaches. As data centers become critical infrastructure supporting AI operations and broader economic activity, vulnerabilities in these cyber-physical systems pose significant risks to facility uptime and operational resilience. The gap between security teams and facilities teams, combined with rapid expansion of data center construction, means governance and security practices are struggling to keep pace with deployment timelines.