Security News > 2020 > February > Many Upstream Oil and Gas Companies Invested in Cybersecurity in 2019: Survey
Many upstream oil and gas organizations invested in cybersecurity last year in an effort to improve their threat detection and prevention capabilities, according to a survey conducted by professional services company Accenture.
Respondents included executives, managers, IT professionals and engineers from national and international oil companies, independent oil firms, and oilfield services providers.
The results, published by Accenture this week, show that 61% of respondents invested in cybersecurity in 2019, more than any other digital technologies.
When asked about the digital technologies their organization had been planning on investing in over the next 3-5 years, only 35% cited cybersecurity, which is still an improvement compared to 2017, when 24% said they had planned on investing in cybersecurity in the long term.
"Managing attacks isn't just a matter of protecting reputation, share price and operations, but it's part of a greater responsibility for national services and security. Upstream businesses must continue to invest thoughtfully and substantially in cybersecurity measures, as they often underestimate their exposure to such attacks, which are also increasing in technical complexity."