The 60-Minute Blind Spot

This white paper examines how ephemeral cloud provisioning for autonomous AI agents introduces new cybersecurity risks across operational technology (OT), industrial control systems (ICS), and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) initiatives. It argues that temporary cloud environments can bypass traditional identity controls, undermine the Purdue Model, eliminate forensic evidence through short-lived infrastructure, and create new attack paths for critical infrastructure. The paper also explores how AI-driven development may unintentionally reverse PQC migration efforts through legacy cryptography and supply chain vulnerabilities. It concludes with architectural recommendations that strengthen identity governance, forensic visibility, quantum-safe encryption, and secure AI infrastructure management.