Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure have become a growing problem since the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, an ongoing barrage by Russia-affiliated groups devastated infrastructure in Ukraine. The next year, the country experienced its first confirmed hack turn off a power grid.
Attacks have continued since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. according to a last report by Google’s Threat Analysis Group, Russian military intelligence has repeatedly used destructive malware to compromise Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.
Analysts are now increasingly concerned about the threats spreading around the world. In November, a general who commanded US Army forces in Europe from 2014 to 2017 said cyber protection had become as important in defending German ports as missile defense systems.
Discover the future of technology!
Visit us at the TNW conference on June 15th and 16th in Amsterdam
The EU is also expressing growing concern. Last month, a bloc watchdog warned members to step up their defenses because of the increased risk of hacks by foreign states.
To mitigate the threats, cybersecurity firms are experimenting with various defense methods. Darktrace, one of the UK’s largest tech companies, has chosen to apply AI to a natural way of thinking: thinking like an attacker.
This approach is embedded in Prevent/OT, a new product that identifies routes attackers take to attack critical infrastructure.
The software visualizes potential paths to the assets. Defenders can then harden their environments to prevent attacks before they happen.
“Many industry professionals lose track of what they need to do on a daily basis.
A crucial part of the product is Darktrace’s self-learning feature AI that recognizes Discrepancies in assets that indicate cyber threats. The company says the software allows overworked employees to prioritize the needs of their unique environments.
“It’s really about maximizing the value of their time and implementing controls.” Jeffrey Macre, Industrial Security Solutions Architect at Darktrace, to TNW.
“A lot of people in the industry are so focused on what the next big attack is going to be that they lose sight of what they need to do on a daily basis to implement really good cybersecurity.”
The new feature is part of Darktrace Operating technology (OT) product family. According to the company The solutions are already used by hundreds of companies for critical infrastructure.
Those numbers have recently been bolstered by several new deals. Darktrace said this marks the company’s largest contract to date with a critical infrastructure organization.
The announcements come during a challenging time for the FTSE 250 company. The company recently lowered its revenue forecast amid declining customer growth and had to dismiss allegations of fraudulent accounting by a short seller.
However, there are signs that the new product is already improving Darktrace’s business. Analysts at investment bank Jefferies said the company is now making progress despite the short seller’s attack – and that the launch of Prevent/OT has helped attract new business.
Comments are closed.