Kaspersky predicts shifts in industrial cybersecurity practices in 2024

Kaspersky Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team has outlined key predictions for the industrial cybersecurity environment in 2024.

In a statement, the cybersecurity research firm predicted that the industrial cybersecurity environment will continue to evolve, with several key trends emerging.

“The pursuit of efficiency in IIoT and SmartXXX systems fuelled an expanded attack surface, while the surge in energy carrier prices led to heightened hardware costs, prompting a strategic shift towards cloud services,” it said.

The firm noted that the growing government involvement in industrial processes also introduced fresh risks, including concerns about data leaks due to underqualified employees and insufficient practices for responsible disclosure.

Data from Kaspersky Security Network also revealed that in the second half of 2023, 32.6 percent of integrated computer solutions globally faced malware attacks.

In the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa, Turkey experienced a rate of 36.5 percent, Africa had variations (36.8 percent overall, with 27.5 percent in South Africa, 34.55 percent in Kenya, 28.8 percent in Nigeria, and 33.17 percent in Ghana), and the Middle East region had a rate of 33.5 percent.

“There is a slight decrease in this figure in the region compared to 2022, which can be the result of industrial organisations paying more attention to cybersecurity,” Kaspersky said.

Evgeny Goncharov, head of Kaspersky ICS CERT, noted, “The industrial sector’s cybersecurity is continuously going through significant changes, with both new types of attacks and more sophisticated versions of old ones.” The firm highlighted that ransomware threats loomed large in 2024.