An unprecedented surge in cyberattacks has thrust industrial cybersecurity into the spotlight, making it a global top priority.
This is particularly true for businesses within critical infrastructure sectors like O&G and chemical. The threat has moved from stealing valuable data to attacking operation technology (OT) networks, allowing them to gain control over entire market ecosystems.
Last year's Colonial Pipeline incident proves hackers can wreak havoc when organizations assume IT threats will not impact OT environments. This was the result of a strategic password breach, which snowballed and shut down operations.
This breach was a wake-up call for organizations and cybercriminals. The impact on the nation's supply chain and economy confirmed that critical infrastructure is a valuable and vulnerable target.
What makes chemical companies vulnerable to attacks?
1. Lack of cybersecurity controls: The chemical industry lacks standard OT cybersecurity strategies and regulations. This has led to companies having disparate - and often inadequate - security practices. OT support too often relies on existing teams ill-equipped to meet the needs of an OT program. IT professionals either lack experience in OT cyber or operations teams or are at a disadvantage because they do not understand cybersecurity principles.
2. Growing operations drive the expansion of attacks: As organizations expand their operations, the ways in which cyber threats can penetrate systems, also known as "attack surfaces," are growing. Attackers are now trained to exploit the cracks found in these larger attack surfaces.
3. Remote capabilities are open to attacks: Many organizations have dispersed assets and are heavily dependent on remote monitoring for management. This connectivity offers competitive advantages, but it also creates vulnerabilities. Remote devices may possibly fail. As these ecosystems grow, so too does risk.
4. Modern technologies pose new risks: Digitalization, data analytics and automation are all competitive advantages. However, they pose new cyber risks. Many industrial environments are comprised of decades-old legacy systems built for longevity. They weren't designed to be connected to wide area networks or other modern technologies. This makes them vulnerable to attack.
5. Attackers also want physical control: Cyber attackers no longer just want to steal and manipulate data; they want direct control over physical environments. Attacks can damage critical infrastructure, grind operations to a halt, threaten national security and put lives at risk by crippling essential industries.
6. Attackers are forming businesses: There are distinct types of cyber attackers with different motivations who have formed "hacking" businesses. Terrorists and hacktivists may not work together, but they are forming alliances to broaden their reach and expand their capabilities.
Patching the vulnerability that led to the last high-profile attack isn't enough. Attackers are highly adaptable and constantly evolving, so chemical companies must focus on building robust industrial cybersecurity programs that take a proactive approach to security. It's vital to prepare for when, not if, an attack occurs.
For more information, visit abs-group.com or call (281) 673-2800.
