Biometrics and building automation systems were the most attacked operational technology sectors at the beginning of 2025

Biz Bahrain

16-05-2025

In Q1 2025, malicious objects were blocked on 21.9% of ICS computers globally, according to a new report by Kaspersky ICS CERT (Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team). Regionally this share varied: from 10.7% in Northern Europe to 29.6% in Africa. From Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, the share of ICS computers on which malicious objects were blocked increased in Russia (by 0.9 p.p.), Central Asia (by 0.7 p.p.), South Asia (by 0.3 p.p.), Western Europe (by 0.2 p.p.), Northern Europe (by 0.1 p.p.) and Southern Europe (by 0.1 p.p.).
The share of ICS computers with blocked malicious objects, per region Threats by industries The biometrics sector was targeted more than any other industry vertical (malicious objects were blocked on 28.1% of ICS computers), followed by building automation (25%), electric power facilities (22,8%), construction facilities (22.4%), engineering equipment (21.7%), oil & gas facilities (17.8%), and manufacturing (17.6%). Main threat sources The OT cyberthreat landscape at the beginning of 2025 remained diverse, with threats spreading via the internet continuing as the main source of cyber risks to OT computers (these threats were blocked on 10.11% of ICS computers), followed by email clients (2.81%) and removable media at (0.52%). 'As the internet remains the primary source of threats to ICS computers, in the first quarter of 2025, the share of ICS computers attacked with malware spread via the internet increased for the first time since the beginning of 2023. The main categories of threats from the internet are denylisted internet resources, malicious scripts and phishing pages. Malicious scripts and phishing pages is the leading category of malware used for initial infection of ICS computers – they act as droppers of next-stage malware, such as spyware, crypto miners and ransomware. The rise in internet-based attacks on ICS highlights the critical need for advanced threat detection to counter sophisticated malware campaigns,' commented Evgeny Goncharov, Head of Kaspersky ICS CERT. To keep OT computers protected from various threats, Kaspersky experts recommend: • Conducting regular security assessments of OT systems to identify and eliminate possible cyber security issues. • Establishing continuous vulnerability assessment and triage as a foundation for effective vulnerability management process. Dedicated solutions like Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity may become an efficient assistant and a source of unique actionable information, not fully available in public. • Performing timely updates for the key components of the enterprise's OT network; applying security fixes and patches or implementing compensating measures as soon as it is technically possible is crucial for preventing a major incident that might cost millions due to the interruption of the production process. • Using EDR solutions such as Kaspersky Next EDR Expert for timely detection of sophisticated threats, investigation, and effective remediation of incidents.
• Improving the response to new and advanced malicious techniques by building and strengthening teams' skills in incident prevention, detection, and response. Dedicated OT security trainings for IT security staff and OT personnel is one of the key measures helping to achieve this.
The full report on ICS threats for Q1 2025 is available by the link.