Major attacks on industrial systems are on the rise, yet security efforts to protect these systems continue to lag behind. Credit: Metamorworks / Getty Images A report commissioned by cloud security company Barracuda found that 94% of respondents have experienced some form of attack on their industrial IoT (IIoT) or operational technology (OT) systems during the last 12 months.The State of Industrial Security in 2022 report surveyed 800 senior IT and security officers responsible for these industrial systems.“In the current threat landscape, critical infrastructure is an attractive target for cybercriminals, but unfortunately IIoT/OT security projects often take a backseat to other security initiatives or fail due to cost or complexity, leaving organizations at risk,” said Tim Jefferson, senior vice president for data protection, network, and application security at Barracuda said in a statement accompanying the report. Geopolitical tension on the riseRecent attacks such as those targeted through the SolarWinds attack, and the Russian DDoS attack on Lithuania last month, have raised concerns over nation state-backed attacks on industrial systems. As a result, the survey found that 89% of the respondents are very or fairly concerned about the current geopolitical situation. Constellation Research analyst Liz Miller acknowledged that “the Russian invasion of Ukraine set the world on high alert as it anticipated vulnerabilities in IIoT devices becoming prime targets should the battle enter the cyberspace.”Manufacturing and healthcare industries lag behindThe report noted that 93% of respondents admitted that their organization had failed in their IIoT/OT security projects, with a lack of skills and tools often blamed. Furthermore, only 18% of companies surveyed restrict network access and enforce multifactor authentication (MFA), leaving networks open to attacks. Around half of respondents believe that their organization can handle applying security updates themselves, leaving many needing external help. The report notes that the worst hit organizations tend to be those that rely on manual updates and don’t have access to automation tools. Manufacturing and healthcare were identified as the least prepared industries, with only 24% and 17% respectively able to complete their security projects.“Healthcare has been put through the wringer these past two years with the global pandemic making medical infrastructure and critical systems ripe targets for attackers,” Miller said. “Most healthcare CISOs and CIOs I speak with are exhausted and are pushing through with budgets that seem large but aren’t what they need to accelerate projects and are facing skills shortages to maintain networks, let alone advance projects.” Related content interview Strong CIO-CISO relations fuel success at Ally CIO Sathish Muthukrishnan and CISO Donna Hart have forged a partnership steeped in Ally’s culture of radical candor that keeps the financial services firm secure and innovative. By Dan Roberts May 09, 2024 9 mins CIO CSO and CISO IT Leadership news Zscaler shuts down exposed system after rumors of a cyberattack Initially dismissing rumors, Zscaler now says it did have a system exposed but nothing important has been accessed. By Shweta Sharma May 09, 2024 3 mins Data Breach Cyberattacks news Palo Alto launches AI-powered solutions to fight AI-generated cyberthreats The suite is powered by Palo Alto’s proprietary solution, Precision AI, which integrates machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI technologies. By Prasanth Aby Thomas May 09, 2024 3 mins Generative AI Security Software news F5 patches BIG-IP Next Central Manager flaws that could lead to device takeover Two high-risk vulnerabilities could allow attackers to gain full administrative control on devices via leaked password hashes. By Lucian Constantin May 08, 2024 5 mins Threat and Vulnerability Management Cloud Security Vulnerabilities PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe