The reality of cyberattacks on factories, power plants, or pipelines is far more mundane and far more dangerous than we normally imagine. In operational technology (OT) environments, the weakest link is often a tired, overworked, or cognitively overloaded operator.
Why Fatigue Matters in OT
OT systems, whether they control energy grids, manufacturing lines, or transportation networks, run around the clock in high-stakes environments. But operators are human. Fatigue slows reaction times, reduces attention to detail, and increases the likelihood of mistakes, even in routine tasks. Research shows that exhaustion leads to slips, lapses, and eventual burnout, leaving critical systems vulnerable.
In OT, these errors can escalate rapidly. A missed alert or skipped safety step can propagate consequences throughout a system. OSHA has highlighted fatigue as a contributing factor in major disasters, including the Texas City refinery explosion, the Challenger shuttle failure, and nuclear accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
How Fatigue Leads to Cybersecurity Failures
Fatigue directly undermines cybersecurity. Consider these scenarios:
Missed Alerts and Signs: A sleep-deprived operator might overlook a warning light or log message that signals malware or intrusion. Attackers exploit these unnoticed indicators to act undetected.
Ignored Warnings: Continuous alarms can desensitize operators. After hours of responding to minor alerts, a critical cybersecurity alarm may be silenced or bypassed.
Risky Shortcuts: Fatigue drives shortcuts. Tired staff might reuse passwords, plug in unvetted USB drives, or skip updates, all opening doors for attackers. Studies show “security fatigue” correlates with risky behaviors.
Delayed Security Tasks: Long shifts and understaffing push essential updates and backups to the back burner, leaving vulnerabilities exposed.
Higher Phishing Success: Early morning or late-night shifts increase susceptibility to phishing attacks, as tired operators are less vigilant.
Real-world incidents illustrate the dangers: a USB drive left in a control system spreads malware overnight, an overdue patch is ignored during a night shift, and a recurring alert silenced by an exhausted operator allows ransomware to run unchecked.
Every shortcut, skipped check, or delayed update multiplies risk, without an attacker having to develop new exploits.
Why Industry Often Overlooks Fatigue
Fatigue risk is frequently ignored due to operational priorities and culture:
Production Above All: Management emphasizes uptime and speed, discouraging staff from admitting exhaustion or taking breaks.
OT Culture: Phrases like “push through” or “get it done” foster a mindset where endurance is celebrated, and mistakes are seen as carelessness rather than fatigue.
Invisible Factor: Unlike a technical breach, fatigue leaves no trace in logs. When incidents occur, “operator tired” rarely appears in reports.
Metrics Gap: Cybersecurity metrics measure technical controls, not human conditions. Long weekend shifts, extended hours, or cognitive overload go untracked.
Mitigating Fatigue Risk
To address this hidden threat, organizations must design OT systems with human limits in mind:
Enforce Healthy Shifts: Adequate rest, through 8-hour shifts, mandatory breaks, and rotation, reduces errors dramatically.
Reduce Alarm Overload: Streamlining alerts and filtering duplicates helps operators focus on genuine threats.
Automate Routine Tasks: Automation of repetitive monitoring and logging frees humans for critical decision-making.
Support Safe Practices: Encourage staff to pause, double-check, and report fatigue without fear of blame.
Training and Awareness: Include fatigue and cognitive load in security programs. Case studies of fatigue-related failures help staff understand the stakes.
Technical Aids: User-friendly security tools, like password managers and enforced multi-factor authentication, reduce the chance of mistakes under fatigue.
The Bottom Line
Operator fatigue is not merely an HR concern; rather, it is a cybersecurity risk. In OT, the human at the control panel is often the last line of defence. No firewall, monitor, or segmentation strategy can fully protect a system if the operator is exhausted.
By recognising fatigue as a key factor and implementing policies, automation, and cultural shifts to address it, organisations can dramatically reduce both safety and cybersecurity risks. Every technical control matters, but they are only half as effective if the human watching them is running on empty.
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