Ransomware, spyware attacks: Kaspersky cautions Pakistanis about growing threats

ISLAMABAD: A global cybersecurity company has cautioned Pakistanis about growing threats to their critical infrastructure sectors due to computers affected by malware-ransomware and spyware attacks.

In this regard, the company has issued a new global report on Thursday.

Kaspersky experts have strongly recommended conducting audits and regular security assessments of IT and OT systems and apply security fixes and patches or implement mitigation measures as soon as it is technically possible.

Kaspersky’s report on the cybersecurity landscape for industrial control systems (ICS) in the second quarter of 2024, revealed a 20 percent increase in ransomware attacks compared to the previous quarter.

The report underscored a growing threat to critical infrastructure sectors worldwide, with ransomware and spyware posing the most significant risks.

Kaspersky Security Network statistics showed that 23.5 percent of ICS computers globally were exposed to cyberthreats in second quarter of 2024. ICS systems in Africa remain the most heavily exposed, with 30% of ICS computers attacked, while in the Pakistan the figure is 27%.

Ransomware activity surged, with the percentage of ICS computers affected by ransomware rising by 1.2 times compared to the previous quarter. Kaspersky’s report also highlights a continued exposure to scripts and phishing pages as well as to spyware, including backdoors, keyloggers, and trojans, which are often used for data theft and to enable further attacks such as ransomware.

“Our findings reveal that while the overall number of attacks on operational technology (OT) computers is slightly down, the rise in ransomware and spyware is concerning,” stated Evgeny Goncharov, Head of Kaspersky’s ICS Cyber Emergency Response Team.

“High-impact malware like ransomware can disrupt critical operations in any industry. Phishing pages and spyware are often used to steal corporate credentials and either use them for further propagation into the target’s infrastructure or to sell them on dark web marketplaces for future reuse by ransomware gangs, hacktivists, and APT groups. Overexposing OT infrastructures to these threats puts operations and businesses at high risk of a devastating incident.”

The building automation sector saw the highest percentage of ICS computers attacked (28.3%) in the reviewed period globally, with attackers exploiting weak points in building automation networks, often targeting internet-facing systems and outdated software. The following sectors are energy (26.3%), oil & gas (22,5%), engineering and ICS integration (23,4%) and manufacturing (11,7%).

Kaspersky experts recommended conducting audits and regular security assessments of IT and OT systems and apply security fixes and patches or implement mitigation measures as soon as it is technically possible.

The report recommended reliable protection of industrial networks and automation systems by using specialized solutions. The ICS Threat Intelligence Reporting service gives insights into current threats and attack vectors and into alarming OT vulnerabilities, as well as ways to mitigate them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024