Irish networks, including critical infrastructure bodies, face elevated cybersecurity risk.
Hundreds of thousands of Irish networks remain exposed to active cyber threats, according to new data released by Centripetal, a US-based cybersecurity firm specialising in threat intelligence.
The company’s proprietary analytics platform has identified 349,000 Irish networks – representing 3.6% of the national total – that are currently unprotected.
“We can see that the largest attack vector in Ireland at present are the ISPs – the telecoms and hosting providers”
Centripetal’s analysis also found that 44% of networks have exposed vulnerabilities, with over half a million individual weaknesses present across Irish infrastructure as of September.
Dublin recorded the highest concentration of vulnerabilities across all industries, making it the most affected region in the country.
Hackers probe Irish systems
Centripetal’s Attack Surface Map provides detailed visibility into cyberattack entry points, including specific IP addresses and network configurations.
The report highlights that 63% of compromised networks are being used for reconnaissance purposes, with attackers probing systems to identify potential targets. A further 11% are operating as command-and-control centres, indicating that cybercriminals have already infiltrated these networks and are coordinating further activity.
The volume of attacks launched or coordinated through Irish infrastructure has increased by 35% since 2024. Centripetal attributes this rise to the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence in cybercrime operations, which has enabled attackers to scale campaigns and target a broader range of organisations.
David Silke, managing director of Centripetal Ireland, said the company’s technology can pinpoint vulnerabilities at a granular level, including identifying affected customers of specific internet service providers.
“Across Ireland, we can see that there are critical national infrastructure organisations that are currently exposed to attack vectors,” Silke said. “We can see that the largest attack vector in Ireland at present are the ISPs – the telecoms and hosting providers.”
Silke urged Irish organisations to reassess their cybersecurity strategies and increase their use of threat intelligence tools.
“We’re calling for organisations in Ireland to review their cybersecurity provision and asking them to put more emphasis on the use of threat intelligence to protect themselves,” he said. “We know that only 20% of organisations currently do this. At Centripetal, our technology effectively cloaks these vulnerabilities, hiding them from attackers so they can’t be targeted.”
The findings come amid growing concern over the resilience of Ireland’s digital infrastructure, particularly in sectors such as telecommunications, finance, and healthcare.
-
Bank of Ireland is welcoming new customers every day – funding investments, working capital and expansions across multiple sectors. To learn more, click here
-
For support in challenging times, click here
-
Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. All episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:
-
Spotify
-
SoundCloud
-
Apple
