2023-05-27 03:24:17
Caution: New research from Microsoft reveals that attackers are increasingly using operational technology to gain new entry points into corporate networks.
The Microsoft Cyber Signals Report is a regular cyber threat briefing highlighting security trends and insights gathered from Microsoft’s 65 trillion daily security signals and 8,500 security experts. The latest edition revealed that the convergence of computer systems, Internet of Things (IoT) and OT (Operational Technology), poses a wider risk to critical infrastructures.
For Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), the impact of a possible security breach is a big concern in an increasingly complex threat environment. This is reflected in the 11.2% increase in cybersecurity spending in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for 2022. The increasing pace of digital transformation in the African region is facilitating the emergence of new vectors of attack and opportunities for cybercriminals. For Morocco, digital transformation and the resulting digital infrastructure have posed many challenges and threats, largely related to risks arising from information crime, particularly in light of the significant increase in the number of online users in the country. According to an Interpol report, from January 2020 to February 2021, Morocco recorded 71 million threat detections in total.
The increase in digital transformation in the region has enabled organizations to manage their buildings, emergency systems, and access control using smart network-connected devices. Additionally, the report found an increase in the number of IoT devices in the workplace to better enable hybrid working, such as smart conference rooms with microphones and cameras.
As the threat landscape continues to expand and become more complex, Microsoft’s latest Cyber Signals report urges organizations to rethink their approach to cyber risk to stay one step ahead of potential attackers. Cyber Signals found that there are currently over 1 million connected devices publicly visible on the BOAweb, an outdated and unsupported software still widely used in IoT devices and software development kits.
“Organizations are more connected than ever. From the humble Wi-Fi router to the everyday desktop printer, IT teams need to view their IoT devices differently and secure them as they would any corporate laptop to avoid data breaches. security,” says Salima Amira, Country Manager for Microsoft Morocco, who says getting full visibility into an organization’s OT systems and protecting its IoT solutions will go a long way in preventing cyberattacks.
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