Over 30% of ICS computers under Kaspersky solutions were attacked.
Kaspersky, a global leader in next generation cybersecurity solutions and services, revealed that computers in the industrial control system (ICS) environment have been attacked from January to September 2022 by diverse means not only in Nigeria but in other parts of Africa with the Middle East and Turkey (META) inclusive. It was also disclosed in the META region that in regions under protection of Kaspersky solutions, over 30 percent of ICS computers were blocked by harmful objects.
According to Kaspersky ICS CERT statistics – a global Kaspersky project that coordinates the efforts of industrial automation system vendors and industrial facility and ensures provision of unique services in aspects of industrial automation systems and internet-of-things cybersecurity to update on risks and empowering cybersecurity workforce– the global share estimate of the ICS computers blocked malignant objects equate to 31 percent. The statistics further asserted that APT attacks in coming months would most likely get more sophisticated.
Cyberattacks on ICS computers lead to production downtime.
ICS computers have their usage in many sectors and industries which include the automotive manufacturing, oil, energy, building automation infrastructures and many others to aid the performance of diverse OT functions such as Human Machine Interface (HMI), workstations of engineers and operators and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) servers. Cyberattacks on ICS computers are visibly dangerous due to the loss of materials and production downtime which it causes for the controlled production line and the facility.
In the oil and gas industry, the computers were attacked often during the first three quarters of 2022 – January to September – with almost 40 percent of them suffering from the attack. In building automation systems, about 38 percent ICS computer were attacked. In the third most affected sector, the energy sector, about 36 percent of ICS computer faced targeted attacks. These attacks put many industrial services out of service, weakening the social, ecological and macroeconomic welfare of a region.
Attacks on industrial systems might get complex against major sectors.
Kaspersky estimated the attacks and blockage of malicious objects, from January to September, as visible on about 38 percent of ICS computers in the META region. These attacks came in diverse forms – about 28 percent of attacks on ICS infrastructure happened through the internet, almost 10 percent of the attacks happened through email clients, 7 percent of the attacks were carried out with the aid of removable media, and 0.9 percent were conducted through removable media.
According to estimation, 38.7 percent ICS computers in Nigeria also suffered blockages of malicious objects from January to September 2022. Attacks on the computers were also conducted in different means. 19 percent of the attacks were carried out from the internet, 3.5 percent were conducted email clients while 10.7 percent through removable media. Unfortunately, it was confirmed that in subsequent months, APT attacks on industrial systems might get sophisticated and targets will likely be logistics and transportation, agriculture and energy sectors.
Companies reduce budget on cybersecurity building higher threats.
In addition, Kaspersky asserted that in the remaining weeks in 2022 and Year 2023, there will be a rise of ransomware in ICS environments. This is apparent due to the possibility of ransomware attacks conducted manually and efficiently on ICS computers. However, Vladimir Dashchenko, Kaspersky Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team Expert, affirms that the situation has caused global instability which has caused global semiconductor shortage. As a result, companies have been made to reduce their budgets on cybersecurity which will breed a serious issue in 2022-2023 due to the rising threat landscape.
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Cyber attack from unknown people is a very serious problem facing companies in Africa and lots of this companies takes their cybersecurity with levity.
The manipulation of the ICS computer is very wrong. This is a cyber attack and it shouldn’t be tolerated. Systems should start having cyber attack resistance. It will help improve our work.
Cyber attacks has been in existence for long and it has destabilize so many things and the various software needs to be developed in order to prevent future reoccurrence.
This is why cyber security is essential. Industries should have a solid cyber security department. Cyber attacks can cause severe harm to companies data infrastructure. These attackers explore vulnerability and strike.
We all know that Kaspersky is a world-renowned pioneer in the provision of cybersecurity solutions and services for the future generation, and has disclosed that computers used in industrial control systems have been compromised.
This will updates risks and empowers cybersecurity workforce by coordinating efforts of industrial automation system suppliers and industrial facility to provide distinctive services in the area of industrial automation system and internet-of-things cybersecurity.
Computers used in ICS applications can be found in a wide variety of industries, including the automobile sector, the oil and energy sectors, and the building automation infrastructures.
Industry should be solid firewall to prevent cyber attack. Industry should know the existence of cyber crime and be prepared again it so they will not suffer any attack from them. I urge the company should upgrade their security system to they can be able to prevent cyber attack
As a consequence of this, businesses have been pressured into cutting their expenditures for cybersecurity, which is going to create a severe problem as a result of the growing threat landscape.
Numerous industries, such as the automotive industry, the energy and petroleum sectors, and the automated home infrastructures, make use of computers for ICS applications.
Unknown cyber attackers pose a significant threat to businesses in Africa, but majority of these organizations see cybersecurity as a joke.
It is highly inappropriate to interfere with the ICS computer. This is an act of cyber warfare, and it must be stopped immediately. Resistance to cyber attacks should be implemented in systems. It will be a great asset to our efforts.
Cyberattacks have destabilized many things for a long time, so software needs to be developed to avoid them.
Because of the obvious risks associated with the loss of materials and production downtime that cyberattacks on ICS computers pose to the regulated production line and facilities, they are a frequent target of security researchers and government agencies.
These attacks render numerous industrial services inoperable, which has a negative impact not only on the social welfare of a region but also on its ecological and economical well-being.
Cyber attacks have been around for a long time, and they have destabilized a great many things; thus, many different types of software are required to prevent further occurrences.
Cyber security experts are needed to explore systems for vulnerabilities and threat and thereby protect from potential attackers
I urge the company should upgrade their security system to they can be able to prevent cyber attack. so they will not suffer any attack.
ICS computers suffer critical attacks. They have to protect their site against any form of cyber attack