Widespread deployment of industrial control systems (ICS) and smart devices has radically expanded the attack surface for threat agents and cybercrime. With more points of entry to critical infrastructure assets, the potential for mass harm is great, and it has made energy and utility companies high-profile targets. This infographic shows how you can strengthen security controls to help neutralize mounting vulnerabilities. To learn more, visit https://ibm.co/2BuXAAS.

1. Critical energy infrastructures
targeted in cyber attacks
Widespread deployment of industrial control systems (ICS)
and smart devices has radically expanded the attack surface
for threat agents and cyber crime. With more points of entry to
critical infrastructure assets, the potential for mass harm is great,
and it has made energy and utility companies high-profile targets.
Attacks have a domino effect which can cause broad disruption
Identify and mitigate
the risks of IT/OT
security harmonization
with an adaptive
security architecture
Secure smart devices and connected
systems end to end, establish security
levels and trust zones within the operations
and enterprise networks, and educate
employees to recognize and counter
breach attempts and to adjust for rapidly
evolving threats and attack vectors.
39M
security events experienced
by energy and utility
companies annually¹
¹IBM X-Force Research, "At risk: the energy and utilities sector infrastructure," September 2017 ² "ICS-CERT Annual Assessment Report FY2016,"Industrial Control Systems Cyber Energy Response Team and National
Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, July 2017 ³Securing Industrial Control Systems-2017," SANS Institute, June 2017
2,788
attacks against industrial
control systems (ICS)¹
47%
of ICS operators
breached once or
twice in 12 months³
700
vulnerabilities discovered
across 130 assessments²
69%
of security practitioners
surveyed say ICS threats
are hight or severe³
Strengthen security controls to help neutralize mounting vulnerabilities
Build “real-time”
breach indication and
response capability
Enrich operational data with security
information to anticipate potential
threats, since not every attack causes
an alert. Develop an integrated “threat-level”
program to appropriately and cost-effectively
respond to a changing environment.
Deploy ample
cloud security
Recognize that cloud applications,
services and APIs introduce new
exposures and require stricter controls like
multifactor authentication and encryption.
Address compliance
requirements
Prepare for increasing
regulations, including NERC CIP, NISD
and other industry recommendations
to prevent, identify and close gaps.
Extend security management and
strengthen security practices with
NIST and ISO 27000 standards.
Protect mobile
workforce
technologies and data
Tightly manage provisioning,
deployment and ongoing security
of mobile devices and applications
and the network that connects them.
Improve application
security management
Keep tabs on deployed apps and
understand risks to legacy systems with testing
that identifies and remediates vulnerabilities.
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IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, 2017.
48%
fewer security incidents
Organizations monitored by IBM®
X-Force®
security monitoring experienced