While only about 10 percent of industrial control systems are actually
connected to the Internet, these systems that run water, wastewater, and utility
power plants have suffered an increase in cybersecurity incidents over the past
five years.
A new report based on data gathered by the Repository of Industrial Security
Incidents (RISI) database provides a rare look at trends in malware infections,
hacks, and insider attacks within these traditionally cloistered operations.
Cybersecurity incidents in petroleum and petrochemical control systems have
declined significantly over the past five years--down more than 80 percent-- but
water and wastewater have increased 300 percent, and power/utilities by 30
percent, according to the 2009 Annual Report on Cyber Security Incidents and
Trends Affecting Industrial Control Systems.
