Across industries, IT leaders are facing a strategic inflection point. Legacy infrastructure, rising cyber threats and the shift to cloud-native operations are converging to create the perfect storm, demonstrating deep vulnerabilities in traditional IT models. The challenge is now more than just a technical one, it’s operational, financial and cultural. So argues Matt Carter-Rix, IT Manager at defence contractor M&E Global, pictured, who explores how emerging technologies and operational pressures are reshaping IT strategy in high-stakes sectors, highlighting the long-term benefits of a proactive, resilient IT strategy.
Mounting pressures on legacy systems
Modern IT environments bear little resemblance to the static, predictable systems that infrastructure was originally built to support. Today’s reality, defined by hybrid workforces, real-time data exchange and persistent threats, demands infrastructure that is dynamic, scalable and secure by design. Yet many legacy systems – designed for stable environments, limited connectivity and predictable workloads – remain siloed, difficult to scale and lack the visibility to deter modern attacks.
Despite this, many organisations continue to rely on outdated platforms that are no longer supported by vendors, exposing critical blind spots and making it difficult to identify lateral movement or anomalous behaviour until the damage is done.
Recent insight from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ’s) National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recorded 204 nationally significant cyber-attacks, up from 89 in the previous 12 months. Despite this, for many, cybersecurity remains reactive in many environments. Often, threats are addressed after they materialise, rather than anticipated and neutralised in advance. This approach is increasingly unsustainable, especially with the speed and complexity of threats outpacing traditional defences. Indeed, recent insight from Accenture reveals that 90 per cent of companies now face AI-enabled threats, yet only 36pc feel equipped to counter them.
Rethinking from the ground up
To address today’s challenges, organisations must adopt cloud-native infrastructure and proactive security frameworks. These platforms offer more than just embedded security features, they provide automation, scalability and real-time visibility. Scalability, in particular, allows systems to flex and adapt as demand shifts, ensuring performance and security remain constant even during peak usage.
However, adoption must be strategic. A lift-and-shift migration that replicates legacy architecture in a cloud environment will not deliver the desired results. Organisations must rethink and overhaul governance, data ownership and operational workflows – including infrastructure-as-code and continuous integration pipelines – to build a resilient cloud strategy.
Security architecture must also evolve. Zero-trust frameworks, based on continuous verification and the assumption that no user or device is inherently trustworthy are gaining traction across sectors where resilience is paramount. According to global market insights, zero trust is projected to generate £4.86 billion in revenue by 2030, with an CAGR of 15.2 per cent, with adoption accelerating in defence, aerospace and critical infrastructure.
But, there’s another aspect that’s often overlooked – the cultural dimension of security. Technology alone cannot deliver resilience. Security must be integrated across all departments, not confined to IT. Every function has a role in managing risk and organisations that invest in training, psychological safety and cross-functional collaboration are more resilient.
Resilience that drives results
Modernising IT strategy delivers benefits that extend beyond risk mitigation. Cloud-native infrastructure enables faster innovation by streamlining deployment cycles, improving visibility through unified monitoring tools and reducing operational overhead via automated resource management and scaling. A proactive security approach helps minimise exposure to breaches, regulatory penalties and reputational damage.
Regulators are also sharpening their focus on accountability. New frameworks such as the SEC’s disclosure rules and the EU’s NIS2 directive require senior leadership to actively oversee risk management and report material incidents. These mandates signal a shift from technical compliance to strategic governance, making cybersecurity a board-level responsibility.
In sectors where uptime, trust and compliance are critical, the ability to respond and recover effectively from disruption influences contract viability, customer retention and organisational reputation. What’s more, resilient organisations are better positioned to attract and retain talent. In an era where skilled professionals seek purpose-driven roles and psychologically safe environments, a mature security culture can be a competitive advantage. It signals that an organisation values transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.
The case for change is clear, but awareness alone does not build resilience. What’s needed is decisive, coordinated action across leadership, operations and technology. Proactive IT should be treated not as a technical migration, but as a strategic overhaul anchored by clear benchmarks for recovery, containment and response maturity. Companies who act decisively will not only reduce risk, but build trust, unlock agility and lead with confidence in a landscape where adaptability is the foundation of competitive advantage.
