GISEC Global 2024 experts provide insight into the current state of critical infrastructure attacks and how to prevent them.
According to a survey conducted by Allianz Risk Barometer, which analyzed major cybersecurity risks around the world, cyberattacks against critical infrastructure were the second-highest concern out of 1,112 global respondents.
Coupled with the disruption of current geopolitical events and increased reliance on digital devices, respondents believe that potential shutdowns of critical infrastructure are expected to become a top priority for businesses going forward. I am.
“They are of such critical national importance that the incapacitation or destruction of such systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, could pose a threat to national security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or “systems or assets that have a debilitating effect on their combination.” Among these, critical infrastructure plays an important role in maintaining social functions.
GISEC Global 2024, the Middle East's largest nexus of the international cybersecurity community, will be held from April 23 to 25 at the Dubai World Trade Center and will welcome leading industry experts to the stage to highlight the biggest vulnerabilities revealed. Discuss the importance of protecting critical infrastructure. Learn about the issues in your system and how your organization can better prepare for a cyber-secure future.
Vulnerabilities exist across critical infrastructure areas.
It is widely understood within the international cybersecurity community that the most targeted critical infrastructure sectors often include healthcare, finance, transportation, and government services, as well as utility sectors such as energy and communications. Masu.
Dimitri Van Zanturit, Cybersecurity Director and CISO of Dutch Railways, will speak on the Critical Infrastructure Stage at GISEC
According to van Zantvliet, the critical infrastructure sectors most targeted by cybercriminals are typically those that provide essential services and are highly dependent on digital technology.
“Legacy systems and interconnections are vulnerabilities of particular concern for organizations in these sectors,” he said. “Many critical infrastructures rely on legacy systems that may not have been designed with today's cyber threats in mind, and a breach in one system can lead to a cascade of failures in other systems. The increased interconnectivity between different systems can lead to vulnerabilities.
Reliance on third-party vendors, lack of cybersecurity training, ineffective physical security measures, and insider threats also contribute to the vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems.
The transport and energy sectors have emerged as popular targets.
For van Zantvliet, working in the transport sector brings a unique set of challenges. This industry is a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals, primarily because it is critical to the functioning of society and disruption can have far-reaching effects on individuals, businesses, supply chains, and government operations. has been proven.
The rich data, high visibility, and interconnectedness of transportation services around the world also contribute to the motivation of various threat actors.
“Given these factors, it is critical that organizations in the transportation sector prioritize cybersecurity,” Van Zanturit said. “This includes not only protecting IT infrastructure, but also operational technology (OT) systems, which are often used to control physical transport mechanisms and are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. Integrating IT and OT systems is beneficial for operational efficiency, but it also poses additional challenges because the two systems may have different security systems and vulnerabilities.”
Mihir Joshi, Group Chief Cybersecurity and Information Officer at Tata Power, India's largest integrated power company, will speak on the Critical Infrastructure Stage at GISEC. He faces similar challenges in the energy sector, and based on his experience, supply chains and their major blind spots are his main concerns.
“Recently, the energy sector has seen a significant increase in cybersecurity attacks,” he said. “There is a critical need to develop more cyber talent to respond to rapidly escalating threats. Continued acquisition and increasing complexity in the field require a unified approach to OT security. The attack surface has grown to the point where it becomes difficult to implement basic approaches before finding advanced solutions, and this can only be achieved through public-private relationships that share threat intelligence and mitigation strategies. can.”
Impact of ransomware, social engineering, and botnets:
Arguably the two largest and fastest-evolving threats affecting critical infrastructure across all categories are ransomware and social engineering.
For Pedro Cameran, vice president and director of Nokia's Cyber Defense Center (CDC), ransomware remains a major concern, especially because it has the potential to cause widespread disruption and economic damage.
“In the current geopolitical climate, ransomware attacks remain a major concern for both businesses and governments. Ransomware 'blasts' always cause noticeable service interruptions and impact victims' systems. ” he said.
These threats are often exacerbated by the rise of AI-powered phishing campaigns. Phishing campaigns use machine learning to create more convincing fake messages and websites that are harder for users to detect.
“While social engineering remains a prevalent attack vector, it is not the only tactic used to deceive employees,” Cameran said. “It's important to note that as cybersecurity awareness matures, attackers continue to adapt their phishing techniques. Vishing (voice phishing) and QRL jacking have increased to circumvent other protections.”
Malicious botnets and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are also gaining momentum, as seen in the landmark attack reported by Cloudfare in 2023, which peaked at 71 million requests per second. That's a staggering 54% increase from the 2022 record. The attack originated from his network of over 30,000 IP addresses, demonstrating unprecedented scale and coordination.
“Botnets leverage the combined power of compromised devices to launch devastating attacks. A commitment to rigorous security practices is essential to prevent these devices from becoming part of botnets. As the number of IoT devices increases, the responsibility to maintain their security must be a top priority to prevent their misuse,” said van Zantvliet.
Joshi also said that DDoS attacks could bring down entire power grids, potentially disrupting critical industries such as hospitals and disrupting critical life-saving measures such as ventilators. states that it could endanger human life.
Government intervention is paramount to achieving cybersecurity.
Despite the challenges facing critical infrastructure around the world, there are still steps that can be taken to mitigate evolving attacks by cybercriminals. The most obvious one is government intervention.
“Governments play a key role in strengthening cybersecurity in critical infrastructure sectors, often providing impetus to organizations that lack intrinsic motivation due to financial constraints,” Van Van said. Zandrit said.
“Effective government strategies include setting regulatory standards, promoting information sharing, and providing financial incentives and support for implementing strong cybersecurity measures.”
Mr. Camerlan agreed, stressing the need for stronger global regulation and stronger public-private collaboration, saying, “Most cyber-attacks and crimes cross national borders and are carried out outside the jurisdiction of a single state. , international cooperation is essential.”
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