Forescout Research Labs disclosed BRIDGE:BREAK, a set of 22 vulnerabilities across serial-to-IP converter devices from Lantronix and other vendors, with more than 20,000 units exposed directly to the internet. These devices sit at the boundary between legacy industrial serial networks and modern IP infrastructure, meaning successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access, execute commands, or move laterally into OT, ICS, and healthcare environments without triggering standard IT security controls. The disclosure reinforces a persistent and widening gap: critical infrastructure organizations have modernized their IT perimeters while leaving decades-old operational technology exposed with default credentials, unencrypted communications, and no authentication on critical functions.