Security News > 2024 > April > How can the energy sector bolster its resilience to ransomware attacks?

According to one report on OT/ICS cyber security incidents, the energy sector recorded 39% of all attacks, with nearly 60% of these attacks attributed to state-affiliated groups.

As well as the threat of politically motivated attacks aimed at gaining a strategic advantage, threat actors are also attracted to the potential financial gains from accessing vast stores of sensitive Information.

A recent high-profile example is the ransomware attack against Schneider Electric, in which the Cactus ransomware gang claimed to have stolen 1.5 TB of data after breaching their systems.

In 2023, we saw an increase in ransomware attacks against the energy industry including nuclear, oil, and gas facilities.

Most concerningly, attack tactics have been continuously shifting, making it harder for energy companies to implement a standardized security strategy against ransomware.

Whether originating from a nation-state actor, or an opportunistic criminal gang, most attacks will seek to exploit identity processes to access critical systems - our research found that 36% of organizations consider privileged access to be the most vulnerable vector for ransomware attacks.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2024/04/08/energy-sector-attacks-resilience/