Kaspersky Lab chief warns of more high-level cyberattacks
The founder of the cybersecurity firm says that threats are still evolving and more attacks levelled at infrastructure can be expected.
The founder of the cybersecurity firm says that threats are still evolving and more attacks levelled at infrastructure can be expected.
The cyberattack launched at a Ukraine power station last December, which cut off supply to thousands, is likely to be followed by more attacks targeted at infrastructure warns the founder of security firm Kaspersky Lab.
Eugene Kaspersky, who is visiting London this week, warned that the Ukraine power supply was quickly restored using manual override to restart this system but this would not be as easy with more modern and sophisticated power systems.
Other recent attacks cited by Kaspersky included the cyberattack revealed in December 2014 on the network at a German steel mill, which caused extensive damage to the blast furnace and a 2013 attack on South Korea that temporarily knocked out broadcasters and the banking system.
Kaspersky also expects more attacks on financial targets, after hackers recently stole funds from Bangladesh’s central bank and moved the Russian ruble’s (RUB) exchange rate.
“Criminal innovations that we see in some parts of the world become massive because criminals communicate,” Kaspersky said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “The most professional cybercriminals are looking for new types of victims – stock exchanges, for example.”
He adds that the threat divides into two main categories: criminal attacks and cyber sabotage. The incidence of criminal attacks is growing, although not all are disclosed. Worryingly, there are also a growing number of sabotage attacks, where the motive is to paralyse a system rather than gain financially.
At a launch held at London’s Science Museum, the group released details of its specialised solution to secure critical infrastructure and industrial facilities.
Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity is described as “a unified, holistic approach to IT security for industrial facilities, combining the company’s leading technologies, services and intelligence in one unique package.
Kaspersky Lab said that the solution addresses “the urgent need to comprehensively manage industrial cyber-risks and protect the continuity and integrity of systems that are vital to the economy and people’s health and welfare.”