Report finds cybersecurity basics still not being practiced by companies

A report from Applied Risk found that cybersecurity basics are still not being practiced by many companies, which is increasing their risk for potential attacks as untested technologies continue proliferating critical infrastructures.

By Applied Risk July 8, 2019

The basics of cybersecurity are still not being practiced regularly and new cybersecurity risks are emerging as more and more untested technologies are integrated within the critical infrastructures upon which society depends, according to The State of Industrial Cyber Security Report 2019, released by industrial cybersecurity company Applied Risk.

“We’re seeing rapid proliferation of new and untested technologies finding their way into operational technology (OT) that is controlling and monitoring crucial processes within our society, with data increasingly being transmitted from the OT environment for processing in the cloud. Despite increased awareness, new technologies are still regularly developed and deployed in a way that prioritizes speed to market and costs over key security considerations,” said Applied Risk founder and CEO Jalal Bouhdada.

“Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an afterthought within industrial environments. By placing it at the heart of their culture, organizations can mitigate the risk of operational, financial and reputational damage and safely harness the huge opportunities of digitalization,” Bouhdada added.

OT and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) security awareness has been growing, partly fueled by growing pressure from regulators across the world and increasing occurrences of cyber incidents within industrial facilities, according to the report.

The report contains trends and recommendations, including key technical and procedural areas to address to enhance the security and resilience of critical industrial assets. Based on cybersecurity activities conducted in critical infrastructures around the world, including sectors such as oil and gas, power, chemicals, manufacturing, water management, pharmaceuticals and maritime, it combines research, insights and best practices from Applied Risk’s industrial cybersecurity team.

– Edited from an Applied Risk press release by CFE Media.

Original content can be found at Control Engineering.