Security News > 2023 > October > OT cyber attacks proliferating despite growing cybersecurity spend

The sharp increase in attacks on operational technology systems can be primarily attributed to two key factors: the escalating global threats posed by nation-state actors and the active involvement of profit-driven cybercriminals.

The lack of success on the defense side can be attributed to several factors: the complexity of OT environments, the convergence of information technology and OT, insider attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, and others.

Here's what happens: to exercise better control, many CISOs and other executives ask for visibility into cyber events, but obtaining such visibility requires connecting the OT network to IT or transmitting statuses offline, both of which open new attack surfaces.

It's not surprising that the severe implications of attacks on OT are keeping more and more CISOs up at night: think about what happened after the 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, the 2023 attack on a California water treatment system by a former contractor, or the 2023 ransomware attack on global food giant Dole.

The combination of a vastly expanded attack surface, new vulnerabilities, and advanced attack capabilities meant a field day for attackers.

As attacks continue to increase in frequency and scope, industry leaders now know that air-gapping isn't as secure as it appears.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/10/26/cyber-physical-systems-cps/