The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Thursday warned that foreign hackers are attempting to target U.S. critical infrastructure.
The agencies specifically warned that internet-connected operational technology (OT) assets, used throughout U.S. defense systems, were often the targets of malicious cyber actors attempting to hit critical infrastructure, such as systems providing water, gas and electricity.
As a result, the agencies recommended that critical infrastructure operators and owners take “immediate action” to secure their systems.
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“Due to the increase in adversary capabilities and activity, the criticality to U.S. national security and way of life, and the vulnerability of OT systems, civilian infrastructure makes attractive targets for foreign powers attempting to do harm to US interests or retaliate for perceived US aggression,” the agencies wrote in a joint alert.
The security agencies noted that OT assets are used in Department of Defense systems and throughout the defense industrial base sector, including in national security systems.
The NSA and CISA wrote they had seen evidence of email spear phishing attacks to gain access to critical infrastructure networks to access OT assets, along with attempted ransomware attacks on these critical systems. This type of attack, which has become an increasing headache over the past year for state and local governments, involves an attacker encrypting a network and demanding payment to allow the user access again.
CISA previously issued an alert i ..
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