DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's critical infrastructure is "extremely vulnerable" to cyberattacks, according to cybersecurity expert David Silke.

Silke is the managing director of Centripetal, a U.S. cybersecurity threat intelligence company whose European headquarters is based in Co. Galway.

Centripetal was founded by former CIA analysts with backgrounds in high-level security roles, including work on Air Force One and within the U.S. military. Silke joined the company three years ago when it expanded to Ireland. Today, it works with around 300 organizations worldwide to monitor and prevent cyber threats.

Speaking at the recent Cyber Ireland conference, Silke said there are "major gaps" in Ireland's cybersecurity protections. He noted that about 349,000 Irish networks — around 3.6 percent of all networks in the country — are at risk of cyberattacks.

He told BreakingNews that Ireland has roughly 200 organizations that are considered part of its critical national infrastructure, including government services, higher education, and healthcare. Of these, about 40 percent — or 98 organizations — were found to have serious vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.

Silke said many cyberattacks are automated and search for outdated systems or poorly protected devices: "A network could be a few devices or many, but if there's a vulnerability, it can be exposed and hijacked."

While he praised the National Cyber Security Center, Silke stressed that the Irish Government must treat cybersecurity as a higher priority. He warned that both criminal groups and state-backed hackers may target Ireland as a starting point to launch attacks on other countries.

He also emphasized the high risk to Ireland's reputation if a major cyberattack — similar to the HSE ransomware attack — were to occur again. Ireland relies heavily on foreign direct investment, and any major digital breach could have serious economic consequences.

Silke pointed out that a digital attack would be far more likely than a physical one: "It only takes one attack on critical infrastructure to cause a significant issue in Ireland." He said vulnerabilities in areas like undersea internet cables, hospitals, and universities should be taken seriously.

He also raised concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence, citing a fake video shared online during the recent presidential election.

To protect the country, Silke said Ireland needs stronger cybersecurity systems, better use of threat intelligence, and more proactive defenses: "With most attacks, the intelligence is available beforehand. We just have to use it."