IIn today's digital age, the evolution of the Internet and technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) have leveled the cybersecurity landscape. No industry, including the mining sector, is exempt from cyber threats such as phishing, ransomware, malware and financial fraud.
Indeed, cybersecurity has become a major concern for mining operations around the world, with organizations such as Alamos Gold and Freeport all recently grappling with the aftermath of some type of cyber attack.
Why the risk when it's so risky?
The digitalization of mining organizations has expanded the attack surface area for cyber threats. For example, cyber attackers could exploit vulnerabilities in IoT to manipulate assembly line machines and tamper with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that manage various electromechanical processes. Such tampering can endanger workers, shut down production lines, and even threaten lives, such as when an attack shuts down a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Additionally, data thefts and disclosures of sensitive employee information leaked onto the dark web highlight the serious consequences of cyberattacks. Depending on local regulations, such as South Africa’s Personal Information Protection Act (POPIA) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies that do not have adequate cybersecurity measures in place can be subject to hefty fines and prison sentences. There is a gender.
OT vs. IT
Operational technology (OT), typically used in mines to monitor and control industrial processes, is typically manufactured to have a long lifespan. However, we are now finding that these systems, which were built to last 20 to 30 years and have always operated in isolation, are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals.
Historically, OT environments have relied on structural frameworks for industrial control system (ICS) security that involve segmentation of physical processes, sensors, supervisory control, operations, and logistics to protect OT equipment from malware and other attacks. The Purdue model has been used. However, this model was developed in his 1990s and does not address some of the more modern challenges and requirements of the ICS environment. For example, the increased interconnectivity of OT and IT, the expanding attack surface, and the continued emergence of new and more sophisticated technologies. cyber threat.
Consider your cybersecurity options
To strengthen their defense against cyber threats, mining organizations can consider various cybersecurity solutions.
Using specialized software to manage your OT stack provides a degree of protection and highlights areas for improvement through key performance metrics. Virtual patching and web application firewall (WAF) implementation reduce IT risk by protecting the application layer while maintaining network segmentation.
From a data protection perspective, there are several solutions and processes mining organizations can implement to support the secure collection and analysis of data from field equipment. For example, Identity Access and Management (IAM) is key. IAM solutions ensure that only the appropriate users have access to devices and data can be returned to the environment for analysis. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important here to prevent user spoofing (when an unknown source pretends to be a known, trusted source) and cybercriminals.
In addition, Protection against insider threats is also an important area to investigate. Data loss prevention (DLP) is important here to avoid threats from within the enterprise, potentially motivated by greed or malicious intent, or simply due to carelessness. DLP helps classify data. This type of solution helps determine the classification of data. Helps identify and prevent insecure or inappropriate sharing, transfer, or use of sensitive data. For example, DLP can determine whether users are only allowed to upload information to a database, or whether they are also allowed to send it via email.
In the ongoing fight for digital resilience, DataCentrics provides comprehensive services and solutions designed to overcome the complexities of modern mining operations and help these organizations stay on top of today's cybersecurity practices. We help you face your challenges and come out stronger, safer, and prepared for tomorrow's challenges.
