More than half of cyber threats are made in this fashion, utilising specially prepared portable media, according to a recent survey. It has shown that these concerns have grown significantly since 2021, and industries must now take the required action in this area.
Removable media used in 52% of cyber attacks:
The fast rise in USB-related malware and threats, according to the 2022 Honeywell Industries Cybersecurity USB Threat Report, is raising industry participants’ concerns. According to the research, 52% of cyber attacks this year employed portable media that was specially made. This proportion was 32% in 2021, and the rise in it demonstrates the threat’s escalating quickly.
51% of remote access cases:
According to the shared data, attacks with remote access capabilities have been recorded in around 51% of incidents for the fourth consecutive year. The number of threads targeted explicitly towards industrial control systems has also grown significantly over the past several years. In such a scenario, industries must include a higher level of protection into their system.
Initial attack with the help of removable media:
“Advertisements actively employ portable media to start assaults because of the advantages of remote connectivity, data theft, and delivering orders or control to devices,” stated Jeff Zindle, Vice President and General Manager of Honeywell Connected Enterprise Cyber Security. He declared, “It is now obvious that USB detachable media is being utilised to hurt industries.
Trojan malware found in systems:
In addition to the risk posed by USB assaults, research has shown that Trojans are also a leading cause of industry infrastructure damage. It has been shown that Trojans make up roughly 76% of the malware identified in industrial systems. This is how hackers occasionally attempt to install Trojans via USB portable media, which they then use to gain control of the system.
Caution needed with removable media:
Only trustworthy USB drives or detachable media should ever be linked to a machine. With the aid of USB charging cords, incidences of data theft and hacking have also previously surfaced. It is possible to lock industrial systems such that removable media cannot be plugged in or accessed without the administrator’s approval. Use of unidentified USB drives or cables is the sole line of protection.
