‘til the Next Zero-Day Comes

Ransomware, Countermeasures, and the Risks They Pose to Safety

Abstract

Cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure are not new, but their recent intensity has increased the risk of intended or unintended consequences to safety systems to become a real and present danger.  Ransom use of malware attacks have mainly concentrated on business systems, by denying access to essential data, but recent attacks have affected critical infrastructure with consequential shutdown of operation-al technology including safety-related functions.  Although ransomware may intentionally cause dangerous failures in the system, pervasive connectivity raises the risks of this happening.  This article discusses the precursors to this danger as part of Information Technology and Operational Technology convergence, integration of business and control systems, conflicts arising out of this integration and monetarisation of vulnerability exploitation. Although using Industrial Control System examples are used, safety practitioners may use these to mitigate cybersecurity threats and minimise the impact of attacks on all safety-related systems and their recovery.