Modernizing Digital Infrastructure for the Energy Sector: Ready for the AI Era and Cybersecurity Challenges
As digital transformation continues to serve as a key driver of modernization across the energy sector, the development of modern, secure, and AI-ready digital infrastructure has become an increasing priority for organizations. Such infrastructure provides the foundation for improving operational efficiency, strengthening governance capabilities, and supporting sustainable development objectives.
To share emerging technology trends and practical implementation experiences within the energy industry, Cisco Systems Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Cisco), in collaboration with East Sea Environmental Energy Co., Ltd. (ESEC), organized the seminar “Modernizing Digital Infrastructure for the Energy Sector – Ready for the AI Era and Cybersecurity” on June 10, 2026, in Hanoi. The event was held for Vietnam National Industry – Energy Group (Petrovietnam) and its affiliated member units.
Advancing Secure and Modern Digital Infrastructure for the Energy Sector
In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Dung, General Director of Cisco Vietnam, emphasized the critical role of digital infrastructure in enabling energy enterprises to enhance operational efficiency, improve resilience amid market fluctuations, and unlock greater value from data.
One of the key topics that attracted significant attention during the seminar was the implementation of a Zero Trust security architecture for digital infrastructure in the energy sector. During his presentation, Mr. Aleksandar Andric, Technical Director, Industrial IoT Solutions Group, Cisco APJC, shared the latest developments in protecting Operational Technology (OT) systems, industrial networks, and critical infrastructure against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
According to Cisco experts, as Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments become more interconnected, traditional security models are no longer sufficient to address evolving security requirements. As a result, Zero Trust architecture is emerging as a preferred approach among energy companies worldwide to strengthen access control, protect digital assets, and mitigate cybersecurity risks across both IT and OT environments.
Continuing the program, representatives from Cisco Vietnam introduced centralized Security Operations Center (SOC) solutions. These solutions are considered essential tools for enhancing organizational visibility, enabling early detection of cybersecurity threats, and strengthening monitoring capabilities across both IT and OT systems.
OT Cybersecurity – A New Priority in the AI Era
As Vietnam’s leading enterprise in the energy sector, Petrovietnam is accelerating digital transformation initiatives across the Group, with the goal of achieving modern governance, intelligent operations, and sustainable growth. Given its extensive ecosystem spanning oil and gas exploration and production, processing, power generation, and technical energy services, the development of a unified, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure is regarded as a critical foundation for realizing the Group’s strategic objectives.
In addition to the technology-focused presentations, an engaging panel discussion took place between Cisco experts and representatives from Petrovietnam’s member units. Discussions centered on practical topics such as Zero Trust architecture for IT and OT environments, cybersecurity within 5G infrastructure, investment trends in Security Operations Centers (SOC) for OT systems, and emerging cybersecurity requirements in the AI era.
Notably, many participants expressed strong interest in addressing the challenge of protecting Operational Technology (OT) systems as artificial intelligence, big data, and digital platforms become increasingly integrated into production and operational environments. While cybersecurity strategies have traditionally focused on Information Technology (IT) systems, OT environments—including SCADA, DCS, PLC, and industrial control systems—are now becoming targets of increasingly complex cyber threats. For the energy sector, OT cybersecurity is not merely a technology issue. It is closely linked to the safe and uninterrupted operation of critical infrastructure and plays a vital role in safeguarding national energy security amid the accelerating adoption of digital transformation and AI technologies.
ESEC and Cisco Supporting the Energy Sector’s Digital Modernization Journey
With more than four decades of innovation and growth, Cisco has established itself as one of the world’s leading technology companies in networking infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, supporting energy, oil and gas, and critical infrastructure organizations across the globe.
As a Cisco partner in Vietnam, ESEC brings extensive experience in delivering technology solutions for the energy, oil and gas, power, and industrial sectors. Beyond digital infrastructure solutions, ESEC possesses strong expertise in control systems, industrial automation, and Operational Technology (OT) environments, helping enterprises build digital foundations tailored to the unique operational requirements of the energy industry.
The discussions and insights shared throughout the seminar highlighted a clear trend: in the AI era, digital infrastructure modernization must be accompanied by a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy encompassing both IT and OT environments. This approach not only enables energy enterprises to improve operational performance, enhance competitiveness, and achieve sustainable growth, but also contributes to strengthening national energy security.
Leveraging Cisco’s global technology leadership and ESEC’s extensive implementation experience in the energy and industrial sectors, the two organizations will continue to work together in supporting Vietnam’s energy industry on its digital transformation journey and the modernization of its digital infrastructure.
BD & MKT
