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Improving OT Security in Industrial Processes

Have you ever considered that even before you enjoy the first sip of your favorite morning beverage, you have probably interacted with at least half of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors that keep a nation running? In one way or another, the simple act of brewing a cup of tea would probably not be possible without interacting with water, energy,...
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WaterISAC: 15 Security Fundamentals You Need to Know

2023 saw two concerning attacks on public water systems, highlighting the fragility and risk to utility systems. In Pennsylvania, malicious hackers breached the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa system the night after Thanksgiving. The criminals were making a political statement: the technology used to manage water pressure was developed by...
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US Agencies Issue Cybersecurity Guide in Response to Cybercriminals Targeting Water Systems

US federal agencies have teamed up to release a cybersecurity best practice guidance for the water and wastewater sector (WWS). The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have published the guide in an attempt to promote cybersecurity...
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Resolving Top Security Misconfigurations: What you need to know

One of the most common factors that can lead to cybersecurity incidents is a security misconfiguration in software or application settings. The default settings that come with the implementation of these tools and solutions are often not configured securely, and many organizations do not invest the time and resources into ensuring that they are. ...
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Tips for Ensuring HIPAA Compliance

Like every other industry, the healthcare sector is barely recognizable when compared to its state 20 years ago. It, too, has been transfigured by technology. While this has brought many impactful benefits, it has also introduced at least one major challenge: keeping sensitive patient information private. At the heart of this privacy challenge...
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Why Therapists need Data Protection and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity in Mental Healthcare - The Overlooked Risk Did you know the New-Age Therapeutic sector is unregulated? If that surprises you, then you’re not alone. I was a little surprised, too. Yes, there are various professional bodies a practitioner can join, and there are courses they can attend, but they aren’t forced to. It should be noted...
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Expert Insight for Securing Your Critical Infrastructure

At Tripwire's recent Energy and NERC Compliance Working Group, we had the opportunity to speak with the Manager of Gas Measurement, Controls, & Cybersecurity at a large energy company. More specifically, we focused on SCADA and field assets of gas Operational Technology. The experience at the management level of such an organization provided a...
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NIST CSF 2.0: What you need to know

Organizations looking to protect their sensitive data and assets against cyberattacks may lack the ability to build a cybersecurity strategy without any structured help. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a free, public framework to help any organization mature its IT security posture. Recently, the institute published an...
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How Does IoT Contribute to Real-Time Grid Monitoring for Enhanced Stability and Fault Detection?

More decision-makers are investing in grid modernization efforts, knowing that doing so is necessary for keeping pace with modern demands. For example, smart grid fault-detection sensors could warn utility company providers of problems in real time, preventing costly and inconvenient outages. Technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) can also...
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Plastic surgeries warned by the FBI that they are being targeted by cybercriminals

Plastic surgeries across the United States have been issued a warning that they are being targeted by cybercriminals in plots designed to steal sensitive data including patients' medical records and photographs that will be later used for extortion. The warning, which was issued by the FBI yesterday and is directed towards plastic surgery offices...
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Fortifying IoT Devices: Unraveling the Art of Securing Embedded Systems

Interconnected, data-enabled devices are more common now than ever before. By 2027, it is predicted that there will be more than 41 billion new IoT devices. The emergence of each new device offers a fresh vulnerability point for opportunistic bad actors. In 2022, there were over 112 million cyberattacks carried out on IoT devices worldwide....
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What is NERC? Everything you need to know

Electric grids are part of every nation’s critical infrastructure. Every societal activity and business depends on reliable and safe electricity distribution. The US electric grid is a huge network of powerlines, distribution hubs, and renewable and non-renewable energy generators that is increasingly exposed to cyber-physical risks due to the...
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ICS Environments and Patch Management: What to Do If You Can’t Patch

The evolution of the cyber threat landscape highlights the need for organizations to strengthen their ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate cyber risks before they evolve into security incidents. Known unpatched vulnerabilities are often exploited by criminals to penetrate Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environments and disrupt critical...
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Closing Integrity Gaps with NIST CSF

The then-new 2014 NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) was designed to plug security gaps in operational technology. It’s still in use today and more relevant than ever. Fortra’s whitepaper provides a cohesive review of this security staple and how to glean the best out of it for your strategy. A Brief History of NIST CSF “The full maximum NIST...
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How to Build an Effective ICS Security Program

How to Build an Effective ICS Security Program Of all the different areas of cybersecurity, not many are as important, or have as far-reaching consequences as industrial control systems (ICS) security. While most relevant organizations would agree that ICS security is a significant concern for their operations, it is easier said than done. Many...
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OT Security: Risks, Challenges and Securing your Environment

Before the revolution of Information Technology (IT), the world experienced the revolution of Operational Technology (OT). Operational Technology is the combination of hardware and software that controls and operates the physical mechanisms of industry. OT systems play an important role in the water, manufacturing, power, and distribution systems...
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CISO to BISO – What's your next role?

Introduction For the longest time within the cybersecurity industry, we have had Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) whose role is to set the strategic direction for Information Security within an organisation. But what are the stepping stones to becoming a CISO? In the past, this has been a difficult question to answer, but typically the...
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Former contractor accused of remotely accessing town's water treatment facility

A federal grand jury has indicted a former employee of a contractor operating a California town's wastewater treatment facility, alleging that he remotely turned off critical systems and could have endangered public health and safety. 53-year-old Rambler Gallor of Tracy, California, held a full-time position at a Massachusetts company that was...
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What (Still) Needs to be Done to Secure the U.S. Power Grid in 2023?

It’s no secret that the U.S. power grid is one of the main foundations of the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and daily way of life. Now that almost everything is digitized, it is hinging on it even more. We wouldn’t be able to use even most vending machines (not to mention cell towers or the internet) without a working electrical supply, and the...
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The Future of Driverless Cars: Technology, Security and AI

Back in 2015, we published an article about the apparent perils of driverless cars. At that time, the newness and novelty of sitting back and allowing a car to drive you to your destination created a source of criminal fascination for some, and a nightmare for others. It has been eight years since the original article was published, so perhaps it is...