Underestimating Resilience in a Hybrid World: Why Critical Infrastructure Remains Vulnerable to Natural Hazards and Cyber Attacks

In an age when natural and digital systems intertwine more tightly than ever, our critical infrastructures give rise to a hybrid world; one where a flood can cascade into a data breach or a cyberattack can amplify the consequences of a natural disaster. Yet despite unprecedented technological advances, we continue to underestimate how fragile these interconnected systems truly are. This lecture explores why.

Blackouts, disruptions and vulnerabilities in communication, satellite and aviation networks illustrate how a single point of failure in this hybrid landscape can trigger systemic breakdowns across critical sectors once thought as independent. At the same time, a more resilient future becomes possible when mathematical methods are used to reveal hidden interactions, strengthen our critical infrastructure, and foster a stronger culture of cybersecurity awareness.

About the speaker

Dimitris E. Simos is Full Professor at the University of Salzburg and Senior Lecturer with the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, as well as the recipient of the state-funded Joint Professorship in Cybersecurity between both institutions since July 2025. He holds also a Guest Researcher appointment with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and is Visiting Associate Professor at Graz University of Technology. He has (co)-authored more than 150 publications in Discrete Mathematics and their Applications to Computer Science, and is a leading expert on combinatorial designs, software testing and complex secure systems. Some of his academic recognitions include being named Fellow of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications (FTICA), recipient of the Applications of Computer Algebra Early Researcher Award (ACA-ERA 2024), and serving as the Austrian Delegate to the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN CSTD) for Disaster Risk Reduction.