One of the world’s largest producers of aluminium falls victim to cyber-attack
19 March 2019
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Norsk Hydro has become victim of an extensive cyber-attack in the early hours of Tuesday, impacting operations in several of the company's business areas.
The company states that IT systems in most business areas have been impacted and Hydro is switching to manual operation as far as possible. They are currently working to contain and neutralise the attack but they don't yet know the full extent of the situation.
Adam Vincent, CEO, ThreatConnect comments in response:
“This latest attack is proof that Britain’s manufacturing industry faces a serious challenge. Manufacturing is often targeted by both opportunist and targeted hackers, looking for an easy target or a specific set of intellectual property. In 2018, for example, it was reported that nearly half of UK manufacturers were hit by a cyber security incident.
“Digital transformation is increasingly visible on the factory floor, and IP-connected robots are increasingly replacing manned and manual workflows. That means that the average facility now has countless more potential access points for cyberattacks – and a successful breach can halt production in its tracks for many hours, causing serious financial and reputational damage.
“Nevertheless, across the manufacturing sector, awareness of the cybersecurity challenge and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures are highly varied. Manufacturers need to ensure that their cybersecurity capabilities are not just an afterthought.
“We’re firm believers in an ‘all for one, one for all’ approach towards cyber security. We need to see an increase in intelligence-sharing between businesses so they can collectively combat the common cyber-enemy. It’s essential that potential targets understand as much as they can about the threats they face. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to respond to a new threat.
“With comprehensive information-sharing and process automation in place, manufacturers can rest assured that their valuable IP and production lines are still well defended.”