In 2024, two new malware variants, Fuxnet and FrostyGoop, which disrupted critical industrial processes, came to light, marking a notable rise in ICS-specific threats. These variants are particularly concerning as they occurred amidst an 87% increase in ransomware attacks on operational technology environments, leading to a total of 1,693 infections. Despite the rarity of malware targeting industrial control systems, experts warn that this trend could escalate, as adversaries exploit existing functionalities within these systems. Overall, the year signifies increased vulnerabilities and the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in industrial sectors.
"In other words: if an electric system operator can open up a circuit breaker and de-energize a substation, so can an adversary using native functionality."
Dragos CEO Robert M Lee noted that malware incidents are rare in ICS, making the emergence of Fuxnet and FrostyGoop particularly concerning for cybersecurity.
Collection
[
|
...
]