Yearly Cyberattacks Target 62% of Water and Power Utilities, According to Semperis Research Study
In a recent report titled "The State of Critical Infrastructure Resilience," cybersecurity firm Semperis has highlighted the ongoing threat that nation-state groups pose to water and electricity operators in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
The study reveals that nearly 60% of the cyberattacks against these operators were carried out by nation-state groups, with 62% of operators being targeted in the last year alone. However, the report does not provide specific numbers about the exact number of water and electricity operators in the U.S. and UK that were targeted.
Interestingly, the majority (80%) of these operators have been targeted multiple times, indicating a persistent threat. The study does not clarify whether these repeated targets are the same operators discussed in the "The Age of Resilience" study by Semperis.
The study also sheds light on the severity of these attacks, with 54% of utilities suffering permanent corruption or destruction of data and systems following an attack. In the context of electricity, gas, water, and waste services, the report recommends prioritising incident response and recovery for essential systems.
The priority order suggested is Tier 0 systems, followed by mission-critical (Tier 1) functions, business-critical (Tier 2) functions, and then all other (Tier 3) functions.
The report further emphasises the importance of documenting response and recovery processes and practicing them using real-world scenarios. It stresses that the focus is not just on fast recovery but on secure recovery, as attackers often attempt to compromise backups to maintain persistence in the environment.
In addition, the study discusses the importance of identifying Tier 0 infrastructure components for recovery from a cyberattack, as per the findings of the "The Age of Resilience" study.
The study also mentions specific water and electric utility companies in Australia that have been affected, including Sydney Water, SA Water, Ausgrid, and Energy Queensland.
The findings of this study have important implications for the Australian industry, underscoring the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure. The report serves as a wake-up call for water and electricity operators to strengthen their defences against cyberattacks.
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