Critical Infrastructure (CI) comprises physical and cyber assets vital for the smooth functioning of societies and nations across the globe. The sectors that make up critical infrastructure differ from one country to another. For example, the USA considers 16 sectors to be vital as opposed to 13 in the UK. The disruption or damage of CI can have severe direct and indirect effects.
So far, cybercriminals seeking crypto payouts were propagators of attacks on critical infrastructure. But what happens if a threat actor has plans beyond a quick payday? What if an attack creates chaos by eliminating critical infrastructure to harm a region or country?
Attacks on CI could eventually devastate the livelihoods of millions of people and even bankrupt companies. Experts listed cyberattacks on CI as a top concern in 2020, and the trend continues to persist into 2022 and beyond. In the interest of national and global security, CI facilities must take proper measures to prevent threat actors from accessing their networks.
Attacks are Widespread
Attacks on CI are becoming increasingly common topics of discussion on news channels as highly publicized cases, such as the ones mentioned below, rattle businesses and communities. It’s a scary situation and emphasizes how prepared you should be.
- Colonial Pipeline
- JBS SA
- The Health Service Executive (HSE) Hack
Other well-known cases include the attacks on NSW’s State Transit Authority (Australia), Israel’s Water Authority, and Air India.
Know the Threat Actors
To avoid the unpleasant experience of a CI attack, here are some major threats to prevent:
- Phishing: Experts have estimated that an alarming 75% of organizations in the U.S. experienced a phishing attack in 2020. Phishing through email occurs when malicious actors masquerading as genuine senders lure users into sharing credentials and sensitive information.
- Unpatched Vulnerabilities: Unpatched vulnerabilities let cybercriminals run malicious code by exploiting an unpatched bug. In 2020, about half of CI operators reported unpatched vulnerabilities as the cause of cyberattacks.
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): A DDoS attack on your network or server will overwhelm it with traffic, thus disrupting the service. A study reported over 2.9 million DDoS attacks in the first quarter of 2021. Compared to 2020, that is an increase of over 30%.
- SQL Injection: A SQL injection is an attack vector that injects malicious SQL code into vulnerabilities and can even destroy databases. Over 30% of CI operators reported SQL injection as the cause of a breach.
- Cross-Site Scripting: Also known as XSS, cross-site scripting is a method of executing malicious scripts on a legitimate website. Almost 20% of CI operators reported falling for this attack vector.
How to Tackle These Attacks
- Secure Remote Access
- Create Asset Inventory
- Identify and Patch Vulnerabilities
- Detect Anomalies
- Combine OT and IT Networks
Managing all these single-handedly may seem like a tedious process, but we can take all the hassle away and help you ramp up your business’ security posture. Contact us to learn more about protecting your CI, or download our free infographic to learn more about this topic.
