Manufacturing Also Faces Remote Working Security Risks

When talking about security risks due to COVID-19, much of the discussion centers around displaced workers moving from office to home. What’s left out of the discussion is the security concerns surrounding manufacturing and industrial facilities and remote work. However, the pandemic have intensified the security risks to operational technology (OT), industrial internet of things (IIoT) and IT in factories.

Threats to OT aren’t new. They tend to come through the IT network, malware or a breakdown of administrative privileges—just like any other type of system. But remote access has added a new wrinkle.

“A top threat vector for targeted attacks on OT systems is individuals who have access directly through OT networks,” said Galina Antova, co-founder of Claroty. “Traditionally, OT engineers in many cases have shared admin access since they might need access to the process immediately. That practice is that much more challenging at a time when many of them are logging into OT environments remotely.”