"Barely a month into 2026, electrical power infrastructure on two continents has tested positive for cyberattacks. One fell flat as attempts to infiltrate and disrupt the Polish distribution grid were rebuffed and reported. The other, earlier attack was part of Operation Absolute Resolve, the US abduction of Venezuela's President Maduro from Caracas on January 3. Both attacks exhibit what's called layered ambiguity."
"That Venezuela succumbed where Poland stood firm is in some measure due to circumstance. Poland has an infrastructure befitting a successful European economy, while Venezuela is, to be technical, a basket case. Lack of investment but no lack of mismanagement has seen a decade of blackouts and profound power shortages, leading to two-day working weeks and hospitals struggling to keep patients alive. If you can't keep the lights on, you can't keep the hackers out."
Electrical power infrastructure faced cyberattacks on two continents in early 2026, with Poland's distribution grid attack rebuffed and Venezuela's power outage linked to Operation Absolute Resolve. The incidents show layered ambiguity around attribution, timing, and methods, complicating response and deterrence. Infrastructure attacks have matured, gained historical precedent, and become part of military operations. Resilient, well-funded systems like Poland's can withstand attempts, while degraded, mismanaged systems like Venezuela's remain highly vulnerable. The democratization of attack technologies and accessible open-source tools have lowered entry barriers, increasing the risk to civilian services and underscoring the need for investment and defensive strategy.
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