Designing malware customised for manufacturing infrastructure.
“Industrial Control Systems and the manufacturing sector are at the epicentre of a cyber insurgency. Dealing with the disruptions of labour shortages, manufacturers have implemented automation technologies and artificial intelligence to help bring more agility. But while the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) brings massive efficiency and management gains, it also opens the doors to cyber threats that target these connected operations.
Bad actors are already taking advantage of this, designing malware customised for manufacturing infrastructure, a trending commodity on the dark web. Beyond material losses and production downtime, this type of threat can scale to long-lasting damage for stakeholders, putting the bad actors in a powerful position to claim ransom and extort the organisation. On top of the financial motivations, modern cybercriminals target critical infrastructure with the aim of causing widespread disruption, as seen with the global cyberattack on JBS Foods last year which was felt across the globe and in Australia.
Manufacturers should look to prioritise vulnerability management and rapid response solutions that prevent and stop attacks as quickly as possible. Adopt essential security steps, like multi-factor authentication and network firewalls. Evaluate application controls to ensure continuous availability is front and centre, so that legacy systems with limited CPU resources are supported and CIP standards and government regulations are met.
As the stakes become higher, cyber threats become more destructive and targeted. It is imperative that manufacturers and operators of critical infrastructure adopt a Zero Trust security framework catered to this new reality to protect our businesses, governments, and communities.”
