Industrial cyber security

“The ICS [Industrial Control System] community, as a whole, does not fully understand the extent of the possibilities available to an attacker. The industry must approach the problem of ICS attacks as they do equipment prognostics. It is not a matter of if it will fail, but when it will fail, and the community must...

There is a lot of rhetoric spinning around the cyber security industry about integrating information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) into a centralised Security Operations Centre (SOC) environment. Big IT technology vendors are largely responsible for this rhetoric and of course, they have product to push into the lucrative OT security market.  However, while integrating such...

Recent high-profile data breaches in Australia have called attention to data and cyber security – in a big way. IT managers and tech security experts, such as SIS, have been talking about the potential implications of such cyber hacks for years now but, unfortunately, it's taken the scale of the Medibank and Optus incidents to make news headlines...

The 2022 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report saw Fortinet compile the responses of 500 OT security professionals across the world* to ascertain where operational technology (OT) security lies in the priorities of organisational leaders. The findings of this report proved congruent with our experience at SIS. Within the many insights this report provided, it underscored one very...

The term 'cyber resilience' is the ability to adapt to disruptions caused by cyber security incidents – using detection, management and recovery tactics – while maintaining continuous business operations. It’s a term that’s being bandied about a lot nowadays but with good reason: a recent Fortinet worldwide survey observed that 93% of survey respondents had experienced...

Breaches in the security of operational technology (OT) – the hardware and software used to drive industrial processes – are increasing in frequency with every given year.  And yet, breaches of this particular nature continue to be among the greatest, most overlooked threats looming over global infrastructure and the safety of communities at large.  We've...

We’ve already extolled the unique virtues of establishing an off-premises Security Operations Centre (SOC) for your operational technology (OT). And we’ve fervently argued that going off-prem should be your preferred solution because, not only is it a flexible and cost-effective option, it also means tapping your organisation into the level of highly specialised expertise that a 24/7...

Organisations are getting wise to the fact that it takes more than the right technology to protect their industrial assets. There’s no option to just ‘set and forget’ – securing industrial or operational technology (OT) requires constant monitoring and management, and it needs to be done by people who know what they’re doing.  The advantages...

It’s no revelation that ransomware incidents have been on the rise across the last couple of years. The shift towards remote working, accelerated by the global pandemic, has created more opportunities for hackers, resulting in some high-profile cases in 2021.  When we think of ransomware, our minds generally turn to threats against information technology (IT), which...

Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald published an article detailing Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews’ call to counter cyber crimes that, in her words, represent a “real and present danger” to Australians and our economy.  Her presentation to Parliament comes off the back of last year’s Cyber Security Strategy and a new government discussion paper that will consider whether proposed...

The importance of thorough and effective operational technology (OT) security is an organisational concern that is only rising in priority. We just need to look at the impact of recent international incidents – such as the breach at a Florida water treatment plant and Solarwinds – and actions of the Australian Government to know, if we don't take a...

We've all heard the old adage that 'a computer is only as good as the person operating it', so to say that people could be the secret ingredient in protecting your Operational Technology (OT) is anything but a revolutionary concept. Yet, despite the acceptance of this wisdom in our modern parlance, many of us frequently...

The risk the majority of Australian critical infrastructure owners and operators are taking regarding the security of Operational Technology (OT) is very real and, in a number of ways, very concerning. But it doesn’t have to be the case. Cyber security is fundamentally about the protection of business objectives. Whether in relation to IT or...

It’s likely you’ve given some thought, maybe even a lot, to your company’s cyber security requirements. You may have researched what others are doing across industry, performed a risk assessment of sorts and put some new security measures in place. As far as you’re concerned, you’re keeping up with ever-evolving threats and making the grade....