Ransomware attacks are constantly evolving with time. We have seen how they have shifted their spotlight to local government bodies in the last couple of months. Millions of dollars have been spent in taking up ransomware removal measures to disinfect community systems of various counties and cities. Security experts are now suggesting that organizations with extensive manufacturing processes can be the next target for cryptovirological attackers.
Manufacturing Processes are Already Vulnerable to Ransomware Activity
Amid all the microchip progression, the majority of the manufacturing processes are still operated through legacy systems. These are the outdated computer devices that were integrated into manufacturing establishments when computing technology initially became common with its industrial use. Since legacy systems are not equipped to deter modern malware attacks, therefore they are extra vulnerable to malware scripts like ransomware.
The Untargeted Nature of Ransomware
Even if a ransomware attack is not aimed to infect manufacturing systems, the untargeted nature of ransomware infiltrations makes them dangerous for them. This means a ransomware attack on unpatched or Windows system of the establishment can also spread to its legacy system.
Infiltrations of WannaCry ransomware is the manifestation of the fact that the spreading out of cryptographic code can be exponential. Ransomware removal in such instances also becomes challenging.
Possible Consequences of Ransomware Inflictions on Manufacturing Systems
These are two definite consequences of a ransomware attack on a manufacturing system.
Downtime
With legacy systems going out of order, it will be impossible to continue the regular pace of manufacturing. This will result in an extended downtime and eventually hurt the supply chain linked to the affected manufacturing operation.
Legal Implications
With poor backup management and unprofessional ransomware removal activities, there are chances that the targeted company will have to suffer the loss of data. Manufacturing data is of great importance for regulatory purposes. Manufacturers are required to provide this data to different regulatory bodies to get the nod of approval for marketing their products. Therefore, a ransomware activity resulting in the loss of such data can prove to be calamitous for manufacturers.
