Cybersecurity Insiders’ Post

The New Geopolitical Weapon: The Impact of Cyberattacks Against Critical Infrastructure https://lnkd.in/ee9SeMzu Electricity, transportation, water, communications – these are just some of the systems and assets that keep the world functioning. Critical infrastructure, a complex interconnected ecosystem, is what props entire countries up and is vital for the functioning of society and the economy. This is why it is under attack. Threat actors, usually nation-state backed, know this very well. By taking down the poorly protected power grid of a city or even a country, cyber attackers cannot only cause mass chaos, but any threat to the critical infrastructure sectors could have potentially debilitating national security, economic and public health or safety […]

We are proud to join forces with Genesis Systems® (USA) - Water Your Way, their expertise in addressing water scarcity, supply-side water issues, and green energy solutions with our post-quantum cybersecurity solution, which utilizes #cryptoagility. Our joint efforts will create versatile and secure systems to safeguard the critical nexus of water, energy, and food. The director of the National Security Agency (NSA) has noted bad actors attacking and preparing for attacks on U.S. domestic water systems. These are not military targets, the will of the civilian population is becoming the target. “We are proud to integrate our #postquantumcryptography (PQC) solution that enables crypto-agility, which is fast becoming the new Department of Defense benchmark for encryption management, into Genesis Systems’ technology formats. As state and non-state actors increasingly target water systems and critical infrastructure, security and sustainability are paramount.” - Dave Krauthamer, Co-Founder and CEO at QuSecure. Read more about our Strategic Alliance with Genesis - https://lnkd.in/gMhjm5Qa

The U.S. and Canadian electric grids are under increasing threat from hackers and physical attacks. Immediate action is needed to enhance communication, coordination, and advance planning #cyberrisk #resiliency #allutilitiesatrisk #utilities #elctricity #water #naturalgas https://lnkd.in/gcue3TpB

If you haven't taken critical infrastructure security seriously yet, this should be a wake-up call: China has targeted dozens of oil pipeline entities since 2011, and more recently has conducted broad targeting of U.S. companies in the water, energy, and telecom sectors in order to "pre-position" for future disruptive attacks.

Critical infrastructure sustained more than 420 million cyberattacks between January 2023 and January 2024, a rise of 30% from the previous year. Physical frameworks such as power grids, transportation, and communications networks are particularly at risk due to the disruption any failures would cause. Attacks on infrastructure have the potential to cripple the daily lives of millions, with hospitals and businesses at risk, as well as millions left without access to bank accounts or power. The number of attacks on utilities has quadrupled since 2020. The infrastructure of over 160 countries was targeted, with the primary target being the US, followed by the UK, Germany, India, and Japan. The threat actors reportedly most often originated from China, Russia, and Iran. (Via TechRadar and KnowBe4) #nationalsecurity #infrastructuresecurity #energysector #energysecurity #watersector #financialsector #natsec #globalinfrastructure #criticalinfrastructure

Critical National Infrastructure organizations rely heavily on outdated legacy systems and is one of the most prized targets for cybercriminals globally. With threats coming from a nation-state level, threat actors look to undermine democracy and pursue economic gain through attacks which often threaten physical safety and even loss of life. In Kate O'Flaherty’s recent article in ITPro, our COO Stephen Kines explains that such legacy CNI systems were "Designed without security in mind, [and such] antiquated infrastructure often lacks the capability for vulnerability patches or straightforward upgrades, leaving them exposed to modern #cyberthreats", and highlighting the importance of investing in network segmentation and keeping systems offline to reduce the threat. https://lnkd.in/eihcGdpW #NATODIANA #NCSCForStartups #MadeInUK

💡Electricity and 💧water. We cannot live without these two basic goods. And the world's most dangerous criminal groups know it.   Over the past few months, we've witnessed a surge in cyber-attacks specifically targeting critical infrastructures in the energy and water supply sectors.   In this article from our Cyber 4 All blog, we analyze the operations of hostile actors, the severe consequences of these security incidents and how cybersecurity and cyberintelligence services can help companies protect themselves... and us.   #cybersecurity #infrastructure #cyberattacks #cyberintelligence #companies #companies #companies #energy #water https://lnkd.in/dZqa6qdc

This article reminds me of all the articles, professional webinars, and meetings I attended pre-2019 on pandemic awareness and response. It was interesting during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic when news and government entities would say the pandemic was "Unforeseeable", "Black Swan", ect. I found those comments interesting given how much information I had seen about it prior to late 2019. Even the WEF and UN did a detailed war gaming for global pandemics in 2018 and 2019. Given all the attention to electric utility attacks, specifically cyber. As noted in this article that over 90 known attacks in just the first quarter of 2023. I think we should all be watching out for our community infrastructure in coming months. The next question being: is your household ready? Is your business ready? https://lnkd.in/g8BTKDyz

🚨 FBI Director Christopher Wray just spotlighted a serious threat called "Volt Typhoon" at the 2024 Vanderbilt Summit. This group (linked to the Chinese government) has infiltrated U.S. critical infrastructure... think: - telecommunications - energy - water sectors - 23 pipeline operators. They're in a position to cause *major* disruptions "at a moment of their choosing," aiming to trigger chaos. The tricky part? It’s tough to figure out the hackers' exact motives, though it seems tied to geopolitical tensions over Taiwan. China, however, denies these claims, suggesting "Volt Typhoon" is just a criminal group and accusing the U.S. of politicizing cybersecurity. 🔗 Read more at Reuters: https://lnkd.in/ePrVXNec 👉 Why Should You Care? 👈 In our industry, a cyberattack on infrastructure like pipelines or grids could mean big trouble... - fuel shortages - increased costs - delays... you name it. Anything that jeopardizes infrastructure directly affects our operations and financials. #cybersecurity #logistics #transportation #supplychainmanagement #infrastructuresecurity

Submarine cables are the unseen arteries of global connectivity, and their security is of paramount importance. With the increasing reliance on digital infrastructure and the growing threats they face, it is essential to prioritise the protection of these critical assets.