Cyber Security Trends & Data

What Keeps Industrial Cyber Security
Pros Awake at Night?

Cyber security is a top concern for 87% of global business leaders.¹
In 2017, large-scale cyberattacks and massive cyber theft were ranked among the top technological risks to global growth by the World Economic Forum.²
Control system cyber security threats were rated “High or Severe/Critical” by 69% of the respondents of SANS Institute’s 2017 survey of global ICS security professionals.

As more and more devices get connected … as the lines between the plant floor and the office blur … as automation technology and hacker technology evolve and expand … concerns around cyber protection multiply.

Understanding what is happening is your first step to building a successful protection plan for your industrial system.

The Scary Truth

While a majority of organizations have cyber security fears, few have been willing to invest in preventive measures. According to a survey by Gartner³, some of the most common reasons for delaying include:

44% - Cyber security metrics are too technical, making it difficult to communicate value
28% - Lack of understanding the ROI for security spending
25% - Low security awareness throughout the senior leadership

The Cost of Catastrophe

the cost of catastrophe

Current data suggests that 3 out of 4 cyber events are due to unintentional human error or accident.⁴

Whether malicious or mistaken, cyber events put worker safety at risk, shut down production, disrupt public utility services and erase profits.

The lesson? Start now. Start with your most critical assets. Start with auditing where you are today. Start by aligning your IT and OT protocols. Where you start doesn’t matter – just start.

^{1. https://www.cgi-group.co.uk/article/cgi-cyber-security-research↩}
^{2. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GRR17_Report_web.pdf↩}
^{3. https://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/newsletters/Fortinet/1-40EWICQ/gartner2.html↩}
^{4. http://www.itpro.co.uk/security/29543/insider-threats-make-up-74-of-business-cyber-security-incidents↩}
^{5. https://www.scmagazineuk.com/stuxnet-styleattack-on-us-smart-grid-could-cost-government-1-trillion/article/535452↩}