industry unlocked
IN CYBERSECURITY , FOUNDATION COMES BEFORE FLASH
Rob Putman , Global Manager , Cybersecurity Services at ABB , explains why basic security controls and a well-implemented reference architecture form the foundations of an effective cybersecurity strategy in energies and process industries .
I f you are in charge of cybersecurity for a production facility , ask yourself the following questions :
1 . Do you understand your exposure to cyber-risk ?
2 . Have you defined your appetite for that risk ?
3 . Have you modelled the financial impact of a cyberattack on your business ?
Implementing a strong foundational cybersecurity programme at scale begins with these questions . Producers first need a framework to quantify and understand their appetite for risk before they can define a cybersecurity programme around it across their operation .
An obvious correlation exists around dollars spent on cybersecurity and risk managed out . Chemical companies , for example , often have valuable intellectual property associated with their production process and may want to apply additional security controls beyond the foundational level to better manage risk associated with operational data , process and intellectual property .
There is certainly risk that a producer may be running so lean that any cyberattack may result in production downtime and will have immediate and serious consequences for their operations . Again , having an informed model to quantify your exposure and appetite for risk is critical here .
In a recent attack on a Florida water plant , whereby a particular everyday software was used to infiltrate the plant controls environment , the hacker manipulated the input of treatment chemicals . This was a timely reminder of the importance of strong security controls and reference architecture .
Some companies , however , find that they can deal with a ransomware attack by temporarily switching capacity to another plant , meaning backup and recovery practices are sufficient measures that can be taken to improve resilience and avoid significant downtime .
Connected Operational Technology doesn ’ t have to mean more cybersecurity exposure
Industrial plants are vulnerable to a range of evolving cyberthreats : everything from non-targeted specific malware , in which data packets are addressed to IP addresses or ports often containing unsolicited network control messages , or in which attackers send instructions to smart devices that are undetectable to the human ear , to more sinister , sophisticated , advanced persistent campaigns conducted by nation states .
Take the ransomware attack on a US beverage company which caused significant delays and disruptions to parts of the business handling brewery operations , production and shipments . It is reasonable to speculate
Producers first need a framework to quantify and understand their appetite for risk before they can define a cybersecurity programme around it across their operation .
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