In baseball, a mistake made by a player that could have easily been avoided is sometimes called an “unforced error.” An unforced error is not an official error (that is, they are not reflected in statistics), however, they can result in additional runs being scored, runners getting on base, and even games being lost. This applies in cyber security, as well. Threat actors use all sorts of nefarious tactics to target your networks, but they usually can’t succeed without some mistakes from your team.
Rapid7’s partner SCADAfence recently commissioned a survey of 3500 OT professionals. Among the findings, nearly 80% of respondents believe that human error presents the greatest risk for compromise to operational technology (OT) control systems.
The survey also found that 83% of respondents believe that there is a significant shortfall in the number of skilled workers. This could contribute to the problem, since under-qualified or improperly trained security workers are more likely to make preventable errors.
Still, many organizations continue to ignore the extremely high potential costs of human error.
Real World Consequences
Last year, SCADAfence argued that an explosion at the Freeport LNG natural gas plant, which a Russian group claimed responsibility for, was actually caused by human error. The timing of the explosion, less than two months after a major maintenance upgrade, and several other factors appear to indicate that improper procedures and a lapse in adherence to company policies were the cause. This was later confirmed by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
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