Industrial environments, energy, manufacturing, transport or public services, depend more and more on the integration between IT and operational technology (OT) systems. However, this convergence is not always accompanied by protection strategies adapted to the complexity of these environments. A recent report prepared by Kaspersky together with VDC Research reveals that the lack of continuity in risk evaluations and irregular management of patches place many companies in a vulnerable situation in the face of cyber -cyber threats.
Security gaps that can paralyze production
According to the data, only 28.1% of organizations in EMEA perform penetration tests or analysis of vulnerabilities monthly. Most are limited to doing them every few months, while almost 20% do it just one or twice a year. In a context where every minute of inactivity can translate into millionaire losses, this lack of regularity increases the risk of unplanned interruptions, affecting both reputation and financial results.
“This leaves them exposed to unplanned interruptions, production losses and reputational and financial damages that can be derived from possible cybersecurity gaps,” warn the authors of the study, who underline the need for a more consistent and proactive approach.
The difficulty of applying patches in OT systems
The report also identifies a recurring obstacle: patches management in OT systems. Although it is one of the most effective measures to reduce risks, many industrial organizations do not update their systems necessary for fear of stopping critical operations. In the EMEA region, 33.9% apply patches monthly, 44.6% do it every few months and 17% just once or twice a year.
A security ecosystem adapted to industrial reality
To deal with these challenges, Kaspersky has developed Kics (Kaspersky Industrial Cybersecury), an XDR platform designed for critical infrastructure that facilitates asset inventory, risk auditing and centralized management. All this under the philosophy “Secure By Design”, which seeks to integrate resilience from the design of each device or system.
“In Kaspersky, we give life to the concept Secure by Design through our cyberberinmunity approach. This implies developing products that are resilient from their architecture, capable of resisting attacks, even those that exploit unknown vulnerabilities,” explains Dmitry Lukiyan, responsible for the Kasperskyos business unit.
The future goes through cyberberinmunity
The cyberberinmunity proposal, based on Kasperskyos, raises a paradigm shift by reducing continuous patches dependence and external security layers. This not only reinforces the protection of industrial environments, but also decreases the total property cost, an increasingly relevant aspect in a context of containment of spending.
The key is in a resilient architecture that, from its design, integrates mechanisms capable of resisting attacks, even those that exploit unknown vulnerabilities. With this, organizations not only gain in security, but also in operational efficiency, by avoiding expensive interruptions and complex maintenance processes.
