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insight story smart grids

As bills rise, smart businesses are saving with smart energy tech

  • min read
    • Alongside emissions reduction goals, energy prices have hoisted reducing energy consumption to the top of business agendas. In the UK, between 2022 and 2023, electricity prices rose 67 percent and gas prices 129 percent. In the US, energy prices are up as much as 40 percent. It's no longer a case of, should businesses cut their energy use, but how? Many organizations are looking for technologies that can help them better control their power use and use more renewable energy. As I wrote in this primer on electricity's history, a shocking 13 percent of the world's population, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, have no access to electricity. Could more business investment in renewables help to bridge the gap? Kaspersky's new podcast, Insight Story, unpacks emerging tech trends with global specialists and businesses successfully using the tech. Episode 2 looks at smart energy. I speak with Feroz Koor, Group Head of Sustainability at Woolworths Holdings. South Africa and Singapore-based Nilesh Jadhav, Founder and CEO of BtrLyf creators Qi Square, and former Programme Director, EcoCampus initiative, Nanyang Technological University. BtrLyf is an "AI-enabled assessment and marketplace platform to plan and achieve super-low energy, net zero and green certified buildings, quickly and at super-low costs." It creates 'digital twins' that let businesses model a range of energy conservation measures to find out what will work best.  Slashing grocery energy bills Woolworths has some 1,400 stores in Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and New Zealand selling groceries, clothing, homeware and more. "Retail food businesses have a large energy footprint," says Feroz. Sustainability data science experts ESource says energy costs make up around 15 percent of food retail overheads. Feroz's company opted for smart tech to become more energy-efficient. "We've sub-metered all our stores with smart meters. There are different meters for lighting, refrigeration and air conditioning for example, so we can see what's driving consumption." The tech isn't cheap but paid for itself fast. Feroz recounts a huge discovery: "After metering one store in a new shopping center, we found we were being billed for other stores' electricity – the meters paid for themselves on the first day by proving it. We often use smart meter data to challenge incorrect billing – you'd be surprised how common it is." Meanwhile, the meters helped identify small changes that could save a lot of power. From smarter stores to smarter buildings Nilesh Jadhav, Founder of Qi Square who created BtrLyf, says, "Our customers want to improve their energy efficiency and reduce reliance on imported energy. Our platform makes the data available. So far, we've made digital models of 20,000 buildings in Singapore." Modeling their buildings gives businesses an approachable window on a daunting task. "If businesses can do an initial assessment of how they could save energy today, then how they could go to net zero [greenhouse gas emissions,] they can see the bigger picture." Woolworths is approaching a similarly daunting task – to use 100 percent sustainable energy by 2030. Feroz says, "We've made the commitment because it's the right thing to do, but we've got our work cut out for us. We have several options, like self-generation at shopping center level or sourcing from independent bulk producers. We're looking at wheeling, where you buy energy from a producer who then 'wheels' it through a distribution network. " From smarter buildings to smarter energy grids Increasingly nations and energy companies are making electricity smarter at grid level, aiming to reduce emissions and improve energy security. Smart grids can detect and react to customer use patterns, empower consumers to be more energy efficient and encourage renewable energy production by buying excess. All this can maximize renewable energy use and minimize the use of fossil fuel to generate electricity. Nilesh continues, "Microgrids take it to a system level using central energy management software and batteries to manage fluctuations." Smart grids also enable a market that incentivizes renewable energy production. Nilesh says, "If you can't put solar panels on your roof but your neighbor can, you could make a power purchase agreement (PPA). Singapore also has a market for renewable energy credits: You can buy these credits instead of buying electricity directly. If I want renewable energy but can't pay upfront for solar panels, buying renewable energy credits encourages third parties to invest, then sell the power." Securing smarter energy solutions Fabio Assolini, Head of Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team for Latin America, advises companies and nations to approach smart energy tech with due caution. "We've seen destructive attacks on civilian energy infrastructure – not just power grids, but their systems too." Fabio says over the years, these kinds of attacks are increasing. In 2021, a ransomware attack shut down a major US fuel pipeline. The same year, IBM reported energy was the third most attacked sector. Kaspersky threat predictions for 2023 foresee hacker groups carrying out high-profile cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure – such as energy grids and public broadcasting – using advanced persistent threats (APTs.) Critical infrastructure makes an attractive target for cybercriminals because of how much disruption successful attacks cause. Fabio suggests businesses pay attention to the security of their in-house energy infrastructure, as it may be particularly vulnerable. "Corporate and personal power grids are not as well protected as national infrastructure. They're often connected to the internet using older, more vulnerable hardware, and software not readily updated. Do a full security audit before launching a microgrid or smart grid." The future of smart energy for business Nilesh sees smart energy tech evolving through user participation. "On the tech side, I hope it'll go the same way as the smartphone: More resources for companies and innovators to make applications that sit on a central platform. Users could then adopt energy management tech faster. Over time, you'll see more participation from consumers." On the energy side, he thinks peer-to-peer energy sales are the future. "More people will be 'prosumers:' Consuming and producing energy and being paid for excess. Everyone will have better energy-buying options." Feroz has simple advice for businesses wanting to reduce their energy footprint. "Start now. The sooner you start doing something, whether it's just understanding your footprint or what your needs are, the better." Listen to the full Insight Story audio series on Podbean or your usual podcast provider.
internet of things

Securing your Internet of Things: What business needs to know

  • min read
    • Today's businesses are full of things that connect to the internet, from electricity meters to lighting to fridges. In manufacturing and industry, networked devices monitor safety, productivity and maintenance needs, saving money, time and energy. What's not to love? Security for these game-changing IoT devices isn't getting enough attention, argues Chris Kubecka, CEO of Hypatec and distinguished chair of the Middle East Institute in Tomorrow Unlocked's video Internet of Things: When Devices Attack. In fact, poor IoT security has already claimed lives. What is the Internet of Things? IoT devices include any device that connects to a network. They're often called a 'smart' something – like smart meters, lightbulbs and printers. Noushin Shabab, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky, says, "The industrial Internet of Things could be worth a trillion US dollars by 2025. Companies like Airbus use IoT for predictive maintenance sensors in aircraft. It's high risk – devices not regularly connected can't receive updates, so are more easily hacked." "These devices are becoming common in homes and industry," says Kubecka. "But most are not properly security tested, and many use outdated operating systems. It's easy for attackers to exploit those and bring down entire businesses." What risks come with unsecured IoT devices? Kubecka describes how in 2014, the German government reported a fatal hack into the network of a steel mill. Attackers flooded the network, and safety systems couldn't operate. Three people were killed and many injured. Other attacks are more domestic, like one Kubecka investigated in Saudi Arabia. "A company bought a bunch of new smart fridges from a supplier that didn't security-test. A criminal gang exploited these fridges and used them for spam and manipulating the stock market." But cybercriminals can use anyone's data and systems for fraud and other money-making schemes, like mining bitcoin. How businesses can better secure smart devices "Makers and sellers of IoT devices must do their part to secure them," says Shabab. She recommends they audit code, test for vulnerabilities and let users update and patch devices themselves rather than updating remotely. Using security expertise helped smart prosthetic limb makers Motorica, who asked Kaspersky to review their device security. Kaspersky's researchers found several vulnerabilities, letting Motorica protect their customers by closing security holes. While IoT makers are getting more security conscious, businesses may already be full of insecure smart devices. Start with an audit of what's connecting to the internet, disconnect anything that doesn't need to connect and make sure connecting devices have strong passwords. If you supply IoT devices, use a secure-by-design gateway like Kaspersky IoT Secure Gateways (KISG.)
Proglove digital twin

How digital factory clones are bringing new efficiency to industry

  • min read
    • Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk thinks robots could do any job better than humans. And according to US billionaire investor Warren Buffet, automation replacing humans is no bad thing. Whether you agree or not, today, we're a long way from robots replacing humans in manufacturing. But factories are increasingly using smart technology to boost speed, improve quality and reduce waste. The shift is so important that this new era of connected, intelligent factories has a nickname: The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. Ilhan Kolko, chief product officer at German-based smart factory tech firm ProGlove, doesn't see robots replacing humans anytime soon. He thinks future factories will involve machines collaborating with people for faster, safer manufacturing. "It's not a competition between humans and machines," says Kolko. "But any technology that augments human beings and helps us make better decisions in the industrial setting will take the driver's seat." Digital process copies help identify potential improvements Kolko thinks human-machine collaboration – blending human thinking and action with machine capabilities – will be at the heart of a post-COVID industrial renaissance. One technology ProGlove sees as leading the way is the human digital twin. A human digital twin is a digital clone of a manufacturing process, object or an entire environment in near real-time. Industry uses these twins to optimize business performance. A global professional services consultancy Accenture 2021 survey of over 6,000 IT and business executives found nearly two-thirds think their organization will increase investment in digital twins in the next three years. Among other sources, digital twins rely on data collected by smart technologies like internet of things (IoT) devices. Companies use the data to improve their manufacturing processes and even product design. ProGlove's products add new data points to manufacturing's digital twins: Human motion and tasks. They feel this extra data builds a next-level digital twin. "The human digital twin makes the workers' motions virtual and combines it with the data from tools and machinery on the factory or warehouse floor," Kolko explains. "We want to enrich the environment the person operates in with more context, so you can analyze everything happening on the shop floor." Wearables speed up processing and improve safety Founded in 2013 and now employing 200 people from 30 countries, ProGlove makes wearable, connected barcode scanners for industries from retail to transport. World Economic Forum named ProGlove as one of 100 technology pioneers for 2020. Their wearable scanners are designed to be small, lightweight and fast. Workers wear the scanner on their wrist so they can scan a part or product hands-free. It takes two seconds, compared with six seconds for a handheld scanner. Seconds add up when someone scans thousands of pieces a day. Customers of distribution center workflow designers Procensis are among ProGlove's users. "ProGlove lets them work faster without more effort and improve accuracy and safety, being hands-free. It also reduces distractions," says Ed Kennedy, Procensis founder and chief executive. Workers who wear ProGlove can keep their eyes on their task. "It's little different than wearing a watch and weighs about the same." ProGlove has added software that gives customers insight using machine learning models and data analytics. They're seeing significant gains: A parcel customer minimized worker movement by 25 percent while keeping performance the same and an airline reduced flight delays by 15 percent just by standardizing catering tray preparation. "As we collected human motion data and data around the tools workers use while picking, sorting, and assembling components, and time spent on activities, we realized we can add more data points, like machine data," says Kolko. How the human digital twin works ProGlove scanners already collect human motion data like step count and downtime. It can identify which tools a worker uses based on acceleration data points. The scanner's camera picks up other data points about processes and information from items' barcodes. Customers already use this data to optimize processes, whether to redesign the shop floor or improve productivity. The scanners can connect with WiFi, ethernet and Bluetooth, meaning they can interact with other shop floor systems – from mobile devices to wireless keyboards to IoT sensors. Kolko explains, "It's like seeing everything as if you were there, sat next to a worker or following them on the assembly line." Device security and worker privacy Cybersecurity has long been a concern for industrial IoT. Kolko says it's slowed down the adoption of technology like digital twins. "Logistics and manufacturing ideas like digital twins are now almost a decade old, but a big reason some aren't in common use are security concerns." To address these concerns, ProGlove built protections into its software, like encryption of data in the cloud. They allow integration with customers' existing security protocols like network segmentation or secure connectivity. In the age of data regulation such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR,) privacy concerns are also high on the agenda. Kolko says they anonymize ProGlove's data when it leaves the scanner and becomes process data for the analytics software. The end goal: AI-driven process optimization The human digital twin can be applied in many industries. Healthcare could use digital twins to simulate treatments before giving them to patients. It may be some time before the technology is robust enough for that, but Kolko thinks manufacturing is closer to implementing it widely. The main benefit for industry is allocating resources more efficiently. Kolko says a typical facility collects trillions of data points. The digital twin consolidates the data then interprets it. This is where AI comes in: Finding patterns and anomalies in processes. Today, facility supervisors who receive the insights must still translate them into processes that mean productive changes. ProGlove wants to move from enabling micro-efficiencies to true AI-enabled optimization in the next two to three years. "We're expanding our software capabilities. I see the next-generation product being able to solve optimization problems on its own," says Kolko. Industry's future is close That same 2021 Accenture survey found 63 percent of executives thought that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the pace of digital transformation in their organization is hotting up. Accenture identified digital twins as one of 2021's transformative technologies to watch. Kolko also sees the signs companies want to make their workflows, environments and workforces smarter. "In the post-COVID world, everyone wants to build resilience and make their processes futureproof," he says. The key thing, he thinks, is to make sure people aren't competing with machines but feel part of a collaborative environment. Luminaries like Musk and Buffet may be right that robots can do many things better than humans, and that's no bad thing. But the intelligent, automated factory of the future will still have an efficient human crew. The human digital twin may build a bridge between humans and machines, but humans will still be essential in solving human problems.
global transparency

The tech industry can’t go on this way. Here’s how it must change.

  • min read
    • If you're creating or investing in new technologies, today's landscape – with increasingly complex data regulation – can be daunting. What if shared technology standards and cooperation could help make things safer and better? These perspectives from global digital policy and tech leaders are highlights from Kaspersky's Shaping the Digital Future Summit 2020. Transparency protects technology users Tyson Johnson, CEO, CyberNB "Transparency is fundamental to critical infrastructure like utilities, telecommunications and healthcare working together. We need transparency to build a society that protects the technology user. "Lack of trust in the supply chain is a barrier to adoption, particularly for Incident Command Systems (ICS) and industrial internet of things (IIoT) systems. A trustworthy supply chain needs unifying, global standards to decide what technology is allowed. We need to look at cyberspace as a global commons needing global standards." Tech and policy leaders debate transparency in cybersecurity at Shaping the digital future summit, 2020. Welcoming the new tech entrepreneurs Cory Doctorow, journalist and science fiction writer "Interoperability in tech is understood narrowly, but it can be mystical – it's embedded in our world. We can wear different socks and shoes by different makers without asking their permission to swap. "Today, we see the erosion of competitive compatibility. New products that plug into existing products without the maker's permission. Apple reverse-engineered Microsoft's formats to make the iWork suite in 2005. Since then, they've blocked similar attempts from others at interoperable systems with their products. "With the rise of tech monopolies, technologists' horizons have shrunk, but India, the US and the EU all show interest in breaking monopolies. Tech entrepreneurs should set their sights high to dethrone big tech and own a piece of a smaller pie. "Every pirate wants to be an admiral. The state's role is to make sure the tools that made yesterday's upstarts successful are available for the next generation of entrepreneurs. "Would we ever have imagined the internet becoming just five dominant websites? If we don't imagine beyond, we can only try to get them to pull up their (interoperable) socks and behave themselves. We need to learn from former monopolies like AT&T and British Telecom. It's not that executives aren't good at accommodating billions of people's needs – no one can do that. "We need pluralism in services shaped by people who use them. GBWhatsApp, an East African WhatsApp clone with enhanced privacy, is maintained by local people to meet their needs. That's better than transparency – it's transparency plus autonomy. "An overseeing organization can help with standardization. But the answer isn't to try and make Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) be the best overlord of six billion people he can be. It's to reduce his power. "Anti-competitive business models treat customers as adversaries, like a medical firm that patents an insulin pump that only works with their own-brand insulin. You can't override a policy set by the manufacturer. If a hack causes a malicious act, you can't change it, like this exposed vulnerability in Johnson & Johnson product that could lead to a dangerous overdose. "It's like the 'trolley dilemma' about who a self-driving car would save or kill in an accident. If we ever have a situation where a car may choose to hurt its owner, you're in deep security trouble." Transparency is no silver bullet Jon A Fanzun, Special Envoy, Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs "Transparency isn't a silver bullet solution. It's a prerequisite that helps build trust. "Businesses report lack of uniform demand for cybersecurity products. There's a greater need in niche areas, but products are chosen on price and ease of use. In our Geneva Dialogue discussing responsible behavior in cyberspace, we hear concerns about complex regulatory frameworks. "We must develop a baseline of cybersecurity requirements that every organization can apply, and build capacity to help them meet regulatory demands. We need incentives to encourage developers to make more secure technologies, but there also needs to be incentives to buy more secure over lower-cost products." Securing the cyber age Eugene Kaspersky, CEO, Kaspersky "We're living in a world that's becoming more connected. From the Stone Age to the plastic age, technology is taking us into the cyber age. Our precious commodity is no longer physical resources – it's data. "Researchers at Kaspersky see threats increase in number and sophistication. To protect ourselves, we can make products less attractive to hackers as they're so secure the cost to attack outweighs the gain. We call this cyber-immunity. "We're building a world that depends on cyber to support its critical infrastructure, like healthcare and utilities. These systems are vulnerable in their design and deployed as a 'black box' – we don't know what's inside. But cybercriminals can open the box and take what they want. We'll face more cyberthreats if we rely on non-transparent frameworks. Without nations cooperating, it's hard to investigate cybercrime gangs working across borders. "Business leaders tell me they want to store their data in-house, so in case of a leak, they have access. They don't want a 'black box' – they want it to be transparent and accessible to their customers. "Some data should be kept and processed locally, as we've done by opening international data centers with our Global Transparency Initiative. These centers let customers review source code, as cybersecurity is critical for business transparency." Developing a toolkit for global cooperation Ghislain de Salins, Policy Analyst, OECD "The biggest threat of all is ourselves. There's limited cybersecurity awareness in society, but also little cooperation between stakeholders. Ethical hackers or security researchers can be threatened by big corporates when they reveal technology vulnerabilities. This doesn't help build a more secure world. "Cooperation is crucial. We need to shift responsibility to the supply side. A lot of the burden is on consumers to secure their devices, but we now see 'security by design' principles emerging that put the emphasis back on suppliers. "To establish standards, our challenge is an absence of norms. If you sell your product to 13 markets, you need to comply with 13 regulatory frameworks. It dilutes rather than improves security efforts. "Designing policy is like designing software – it's iterative. Try something, and if it fails, change tack. Transparency policy isn't an end in itself. It's a means to empower stakeholders to hold each other accountable. It's not about regulatory frameworks or rigid regulation. At OECD, we prefer to adopt a 'toolkit' with different tools that best fit your policy objective, like voluntary standards and self-certification. We see an appetite for governments to do more, which happens when voluntary frameworks don't go far enough." Build cyber-resilience as businesses go digital Evgeniya Naumova, Vice President of Global Sales Network, Kaspersky "Cybersecurity isn't just about protecting hardware or software. It's about protecting people. Cybersecure systems help protect our workplaces, data and health. Recently, the world was shocked by the first patient death related to a cyberattack. Perhaps it's no surprise – TV and movies have long played out this threat. "Business and society rely on IT systems to function. They need to be cyber resilient. A compromised system causes more than cybersecurity damage – it hemorrhages data, money and customer trust. "You need to strengthen your infrastructure and supply chain, like monitoring your vendor's data usage. We regularly review our ecosystem and give our partners tools to protect themselves. We choose reliable software and security-assessed third-party applications through our Cyber Capacity Build Program. "You can earn trust by being more transparent. Kaspersky asked people in 15 countries if transparency is essential. One in two think governments should be transparent about how they process data. A transparency policy helps, which may contain independent test results and data processing information. Our 2020 survey of businesses found nearly 2 in 5 have no transparency policy. Telecoms and utilities are advancing faster; 68 percent have a policy. But healthcare (57 percent) and government (54 percent) are falling behind. There's more work to be done." Opinions reflect an edited version of those expressed by the speaker at the event.
fog computing

Industrial data security is finding its way in the fog

  • min read
    • The cloud is a smart way to store data and use virtual services. But some businesses, especially in industrial manufacturing, find it doesn't meet their needs. And that's where 'fog computing' has come to the fore. What is fog computing? In 2011, IT networking hardware company Cisco's vice president coined 'fog computing' to describe a system of devices that process information before sending it to the cloud. According to the Journal of System Architecture, fog computing means computation, decision making and data management happen on the path between internet of things (IoT) devices and the cloud. It links to edge computing, where data is processed close to its source to avoid processing in the cloud. Fog computing defines how edge computing works, and facilitates services between end devices and cloud data centers. Cisco defines the difference: edge is the concept; fog is the standard that delivers scalable performance. With fog, security must be provided at the edge or in dedicated fog nodes, as opposed to central security mechanisms for cloud data centers. Industry needs to beat the cloud lag Why is fog a step up from using cloud alone? Well, cloud is great if you don't need to send data to and from the data center instantly. These legacy systems prioritize safety but weren't all designed to connect to the internet. Today, even firm believers in the air gap approach (when to avoid cybersecurity risks, you prevent a computer storing valuable information or controlling a critical process ever connecting to the internet) are tempted to use machine-learning algorithms. Meanwhile, most also know the benefits of using data to optimize industrial processes. Data collection can be a jumbo problem Engineering company Rolls-Royce reaps the benefits of machine learning on sensor data collected in the cloud. Not from their legendary cars, but their aircraft engines. 4,500 turbines continuously send real-time data about consumption, pressure and temperature to Rolls-Royce's data centers. Machine learning predicts and plans maintenance routines, sending parts and personnel to a specific airport before the plane lands. It optimizes logistics, reducing delays and overheads. But these benefits come at a price: One Boeing 787 flight with two Rolls-Royce engines generates 500 GB of data. For long-distance, it may be terabytes. How could you streamline this? You could collect only some of the sensor data. But how do you decide what to drop, so you don't lose something essential for safe operations? Fog computing may be the answer. In 2016 Cisco and machine tool builders Yamazaki Mazak began a pilot to demonstrate the benefits of fog computing for industrial automation. (Yamazaki Mazak sponsors the McLaren team in Formula 1 racing, rivals of my favorite Scuderia Ferrari.) The pilot processes industrial internet of things (IIoT) data from sensors in machinery, detecting sudden temperature spikes, changes in pressure and coolant liquid levels. Like Rolls-Royce, they want to improve safety and predict maintenance cycles. The benefit is broadly the same, but with less data sent to the cloud. A bright future in the fog Fog computing hasn't had the same recognition as the cloud, but I think that will change. We've seen exponential growth in sales and the computing power of IoT and IIoT devices. The importance of this data to business will keep growing. My colleagues at Kaspersky will stay busy enhancing our cloud security solutions, as seen with our hybrid cloud team adding protection against supply chain attacks. Whether you're flying high in the cloud or keeping data close to its source with fog computing, protecting your industrial technology with up-to-date and effective enterprise-grade cybersecurity will be critical to surviving and flourishing in the future.
industrial cybersecurity training

Industrial cyberattacks are on the rise. Technology and your people can stop them.

  • min read
    • The industrial sector didn't have much cause for cybersecurity before. In the 20th century, there were few computers and little use of the internet in the manufacturing process. The internet of things (IoT) and the rise of operational technologies (OTs) – automated systems responsible for operating machinery safely – has changed all that. With fatal cyberattacks on the rise, it's time to take your cybersecurity seriously and work with your people to help minimize the risks. Digital transformation is transforming cyber-threats As manufacturing plants and sites are becoming more digital, cyber-threats are growing. There's a significant rise in devastating cyberattacks, for example, ransomware like LockerGoga crippling industrial organizations, either by shutting down operations or demanding costly ransoms. The good news? There are simple steps to take, which can limit the chances of it happening to you. Corporate revenge? Hackers for hire? Cyberwarfare? Collateral damage of malware? Motivations and reasons behind industrial cyberattacks vary, but the stakes are sky-high for plants and businesses. If industrial OT systems are hacked and large machinery is compromised, there could be fatalities. Triton: Why industrial cyberattacks could cost lives Let's explore a previous industrial cyberattack. Triton is malicious software (malware) used to target Triconex, a Safety Instrumented System (SIS) – sensors and software to reduce safety risks in industrial settings – used in power stations and petrochemical plants. In 2017, hackers attacked a Saudi Arabian petrochemical plant with Triton. But, luckily (and somewhat ironically), a bug in the malware halted the attack in its tracks. The hackers' intentions were unknown, but the infiltration of the system could have put the plant and its workers in jeopardy. Could it have been stopped otherwise? Yes, but only with the right cybersecurity measures. There's a significant challenge here: IT security is new to industrial workplaces, and it's only been a requirement in the last decade; in some cases, it's non-existent. Plus, many IT teams and engineering squads don't have the training to work effectively together to spot a threat that's unfolding in real-time. OT engineers may be unaware of how to detect the signs of an attack and look for other faults like machinery, human error or asset misconfiguration. Want to protect your business? Update your security systems and start training your workforce. How to minimize the chances of a cyberattack Let's explore how to defend operational technologies (OT) that operate machines and make them easier to manage and monitor plant safety, among other things. To start, you need an industrial endpoint security product – software that can help you protect all your devices and network from hackers. This is crucial. Once you have this, you need to use all the endpoint features effectively (this is called system hardening) to make it harder for hackers to get into your network. Also, use an OT network security monitoring solution (this is usually hardware) to detect the signs of attack on controllers and other equipment. Why training employees to be cyber-aware is crucial for defending your business Kaspersky reported 52 percent of enterprise breaches happen after employees' inappropriate IT use. With lives at stake, when it comes to cybersecurity, your employees need to know not just what to stay away from but how to keep secure. Here's how. Train everyone in cybersecurity It's not just IT teams that need cybersecurity training; everyone from engineers to finance managers need it. But, that said, your primary focus should be with your IT and IT security teams. OTs are typically not in their remit. They need time to learn how to secure them and work alongside operational engineers. Everyone is responsible for preventing an attack. Book in time to train everyone. Differentiate the training for IT, engineers and operations. Engineer, operations and other groups need theoretical teaching and practical exercises but pitched to their level of expertise. For IT security teams, exercises should include red and blue teaming. Red teams try to attack your organization while the blue teams defend it. This is an attack simulation using real-world cyberattack scenarios and case studies, like the 2015 attack on a Ukrainian power grid. Here, hackers orchestrated a spear-phishing attack to gain access to the operating system, then disabled power across the affected regions for between one and six hours. It's a practical way to assess the capabilities of your cybersecurity team. Lockdown activities on corporate devices Engineers or other personnel may use work devices outside the plant, like when traveling to meetings or other sites. They will most likely use corporate devices for personal use. By browsing social media on a work laptop, employees are exposed to different materials that could be malicious. Using USB sticks from outside your organization can carry a significant risk of bringing malware into your network. Explain the importance of using work devices only for work and not personal use. Retrain and refresh Retraining is critical, especially as your organization continues its digital transformation. People forget things, especially if it's not a day-to-day task. To keep protected, your education efforts must be consistent, not just one-off. The future of industrial cybersecurity As the industrial sector evolves, technology like the internet of things (IoT) will become more critical to the success of the industry. Industrial IOT and smart sensors could enable anything from control systems automation to predictive maintenance. As the industrial sector becomes more connected, it will benefit society and improve business productivity. But, like any technological shift, cyber-threats will evolve with it. By taking measures to secure your technologies and educate your employees, you minimize the chances of falling foul of a cyberattack, saving money and lives.
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About Secure Futures

Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

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