ATLANTA, June 22, 2021 / PRNewswire / – According to a report released today by Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON), USB-based threats, which can seriously affect business operations, have increased significantly in an intermittent year that has also seen increased use of removable media and network connectivity .
Data from the Honeywell Industrial USB Threat Report 2021 shows that 37% of threats are designed specifically for removable media usage, almost doubling from 19% in the 2020 report. The study also shows that 79% of cyber threats emanating from USB devices or removable media can lead to a critical business interruption in the operating technology (OT) environment. At the same time, the use of USB devices in production facilities increased by 30% in the past year, which underlines the growing reliance on removable media.
The report was based on aggregated cybersecurity threat data from hundreds of industrial facilities around the world over a 12 month period. In addition to USB attacks, research shows that a growing number of cyber threats including remote access, Trojans and content-based malware have the potential to seriously disrupt industrial infrastructure.
“Malware over USB was a serious and growing business risk in 2020, with clear signs that removable media has become a part of the game book used by attackers, including those using ransomware,” said Eric Knapp, Engineering Fellow and Director of Cybersecurity Research at Honeywell Connected Enterprise. “As USB-based cyber intruders have become so effective, organizations must put in place a formal program that addresses and protects removable media from intruders to avoid potentially costly downtime.”
Many industrial and OT systems are air-gapped or cut off from the Internet to protect them from attacks. Intruders use removable media and USB devices as the first vector of attack to break into networks and open them up to larger attacks. Knapp says hackers are loading more advanced malware onto plug-in devices to directly harm their intended targets through sophisticated coding that can create backdoors for remote access. Remote hackers can then command and control the target systems.
The 2021 report includes data from Honeywell’s Secure Media Exchange (SMX) technology, which is designed to scan and control USB drives and removable media. To reduce the risk of USB-related threats, Honeywell recommends that organizations take advantage of multiple layers of OT cybersecurity software products and services such as Secure Media Exchange (SMX), Honeywell Forge Cybersecurity Suite, employee training, and process changes.
Honeywell’s Secure Media Exchange (SMX) provides advanced threat detection for critical infrastructures by monitoring, better protecting and logging the use of removable media in industrial facilities. The Honeywell Forge Cybersecurity Suite can monitor vulnerabilities such as open ports or the presence of USB security controls to strengthen endpoint and network security while ensuring better cybersecurity compliance.
Read the full report here and visit Honeywell Forge for more information on Honeywell products and services that can help improve cybersecurity.
About Honeywell:
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that provides industry-specific solutions, including products and services for the aerospace industry; Control technology for buildings and industry; and performance materials worldwide. Our technologies help planes, buildings, manufacturing facilities, supply chains and workers better connect to make our world smarter, safer and more sustainable. For more news and information about Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
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Jennifer Marsh
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