In this blog post, we’ll cover:
As the name implies, insider threats don't originate from external hackers but within the company. Employees with access to sensitive information such as design blueprints and intellectual property can become unwitting accomplices in espionage, or worse, they may be actively conspiring with external entities for financial gain, political motives, or sheer malice.
Insider threats can manifest in various ways, from disgruntled employees seeking revenge to those enticed by financial incentives offered by external parties or even state-sponsored actors seeking a competitive advantage.
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For example, in 2005, a US company established a profitable partnership with a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, helping the latter grow into the world's second-largest producer. However, after signing substantial contracts, the Chinese company betrayed the relationship. They obtained intellectual property through an insider and caused the U.S. company to lose 80% of its business. This led to massive job losses and financial downfall.
All it took was one demotivated employee, a thumb drive and a Gmail account. And this happened almost 20 years ago when digital technology wasn’t what it is today.
Linked to insider threats, data and intellectual property (IP) theft occur when unauthorised individuals access and take valuable information they shouldn't. Data theft involves getting a company's private data, like finances, customer details, and production methods.
On the other hand, IP theft involves unlawfully taking a company's innovative creations, such as designs, patents, trade secrets, or unique technologies. For instance, there was a case where a long-time Pfizer employee, who was about to join a competitor, stole confidential documents, including some related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Your company’s factory may have a sprawling assembly line filled with specialised robots and advanced technology that is purpose-built for automating tasks. However, unlike the robust security measures you probably have for office computers, these factory devices may operate in a less protected environment and may also be affected by vulnerable operational technologies (OT).
The challenge lies in keeping these IoT devices up to date, as they often run outdated software. IT teams and CISOs typically have less visibility into them than their corporate network counterparts.
Ransomware works like a digital hostage-taker. It’s a type of malware that encrypts a computer's or network's files and demands a ransom from the victim in exchange for the decryption key.
It typically infiltrates a system through deceptive emails or malicious websites, locking the victim out of their data until they pay the demanded ransom, usually in cryptocurrency. This is a nightmare scenario for any IT leader in the manufacturing industry because it disrupts production and can cause severe damage.
For example, Honda, one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, was hit by a ransomware called Snake. No sensitive data was exposed, but the attacks did disrupt Honda’s global operations and halted production.
If ransomware does strike, disconnect affected devices from the network immediately to stop the spread and report the attack to authorities.
Manufacturers typically operate in complex supply chains with many suppliers and vendors who may all have vastly different approaches to cybersecurity and information security in general. This exposes your company to more threats.
Supply chain vulnerabilities are weaknesses in your manufacturing network that cybercriminals exploit to infiltrate your systems. These threats arise from the interconnectedness of modern manufacturing, with suppliers and partners having access to your network. Cybercriminals often target these external entry points by injecting malware into supplied components or software.
You might also be interested: Cybersecurity in Industry 4.0: Why manufacturing bears a quarter of all cyberattacks
Phishing is a cyber threat where malicious individuals or entities impersonate trusted sources, such as reputable companies, colleagues, or government agencies, to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information or taking harmful actions. This is typically done through fraudulent emails, messages, or websites that appear legitimate but are designed to trick recipients.
For example, FACC AG, an Austrian aeroplane component manufacturer, lost around 50 million euros in a phishing attack called whaling. Criminals impersonated the company’s CEO and asked an employee in the accounting department to wire money related to a fake acquisition.
A zero-day, also known as a 0-day, represents a hidden vulnerability or security gap within a computer system or software entirely unknown to its owners, developers, or anyone capable of addressing it. Until this vulnerability gets resolved, threat actors can exploit it for malicious purposes.
Zero-day vulnerability puts IT leaders in a tough spot, as there's no time to deploy a fix. Unmanaged IoT devices often cause such attacks.
Industrial Control Systems (ICS) attacks are sophisticated cyber threats that specifically target the critical infrastructure of manufacturing companies. These attacks aim to compromise the integrity, availability, or confidentiality of Industrial Control Systems, the backbone of industrial operations.
ICS attacks encompass other cyber threats, as they can happen through phishing, malware, and zero-day threats, among others.
In a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, malicious actors attempt to overwhelm a target's online infrastructure, such as websites or servers, by flooding it with massive traffic. The goal is to disrupt the normal functioning of the target's systems, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users.
One of the most significant (cyber) threats is complacency. Your organisation should prioritise training and education at all levels, from top management to the factory floor.
Conduct regular training and raise awareness around cybersecurity and information security as a whole so everyone in the company is on the same page. Run audits to “take the temperature” at your organisation and see if there is space for improvement.
Awareness is critical to facing any cyber threat. While you may not be able to avoid an attack, you will be much better prepared to tackle it in a company-wide effort.
If you want to know more about securing information in your company, including relevant certifications such as ISO 27001 or NIS2, don’t hesitate to contact us.