To state the value of technology at this point would be a needless redundancy, but for as great a resource as the world of cyber information is, it also leaves crucial infrastructure vulnerable in a way that it has never been before.
Without question this (relatively speaking) new threat is frightening but we live in an age where knowledge is power which is why today we will be examining five insights on infrastructure cyber-attacks.
They Are Growing:
The troubling fact of the matter is that the number of cyber-attacks posing threats to important infrastructures is growing annually at an alarming rate. In fact, from the year 2014 to 2015 cyber-attacks rose from 245-295 representing an annual increase of 20%.
To better understand the trouble that these attacks cause, one needs only to look at the impact they have on communities. For example, in 2015 hackers were able to cause massive power outages in the Ukraine that resulted in hundreds of thousands of families living without power for hours. Meanwhile, in the year 2013, New York City was similarly threatened when Iranian Hackers were able to take control of a nearby dam.
The threat, unfortunately, is quite real and increases annually. If you’re interested in uncovering more cybersecurity facts and statistics, click here.
How Technology Leaves Infrastructure Vulnerable:
The conveniences of technology are something of a double-edged sword in this case. On the one hand, tech now powers infrastructure in a way that is more efficient than ever before. On the other hand, it opens the door up to vicious malware that is able to bombard important programs via all manner of internet-empowered devices.
Programs that allow remote access to infrastructure systems are another issue. While these systems are undoubtedly convenient they are also prime targets for the fact that they are more difficult to secure and protect.
In other words, there are now unlimited ways in which our infrastructures can and do sustain attack.
Economy of Cyber-Attacks:
There are also fiscal concerns to consider. Today, billions have been lost to cybercrime and that number is expected only to climb.
In fact, recent projections suggest that cybercrime damages are going to climb all the way to six trillion dollars in losses. The economic impact of infrastructure cyber attacks are quite real. Estimates indicate that an attack on a power grid on the east coast would cost $250 billion. Subsequently, the impact of state-crossing, rolling blackouts could result in $1 trillion in damages.
These projections are unfortunately very relevant for fact that in the past seventeen years there have been fifteen viable attacks on the United States power grid.
To learn more about the ways in which cybercrime poses a fiscal threat to our society, click here.
Infrastructure Protection:
Naturally, there are several government agencies in place that are designed to maintain the security of infrastructure. Critical steps towards securing these physical and digital infrastructures include timely detection, an established relationship between informational and operational technology, and providing hardware that is able to protect vulnerabilities from the exploitation of hackers.
So far, these systems have been effective insofar as the fact that we have, to this point avoided enduring the effects of a massive scale infrastructure attack. Naturally, in order for this to remain the case, defensive programs must continue to progress at the same rate that offensive ones do.
Benefits of Crime Analysis:
Crime analysis is a profession that pertains to more than just cybercrime but nevertheless can be used as a measure of prevention.
The job of the cybercrime analyzer is to is measures patterns in order to form both long-term strategies and short-term responses to persistent incidents such as hacking. It is through said analysis that long-term security can be enjoyed.
For this reason, over 87% of government agencies, including those that work towards preventing cybercrimes, utilize the service of crime analysis experts.
For even more comprehensive information on cybercrime analysis, you may refer to the statistics provided here.
There is no denying the danger of cybercrime nor the frightening impact that it could have on the lives of quite literally millions if left unchecked. The good news is that it is not being left unchecked.
The systems that are in place online today that keep key infrastructure safe are, as of now, clearly doing as they are supposed to. Given the resources of the agencies charged with maintaining this success, the defensive technology that improves hourly, and the strategic professionals that are in place analyze data, one can only hope and expect for this success to continue.
For more information on the cybercrime epidemic, click here.
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