Mining Magazine October 2014 | Page 31

THE MINING INDUSTRY IT ’ S IT SECURITY RISKS

‘ The number of attacks on SCADA systems that everyone agrees have happened is probably in the 15 to 20 mark , compared to other forms of cybercrime and cyber espionage , it ’ s minuscule , but it ’ s just got this huge potential for the vulnerabilities .’

Securing SCADA from hackers is critical for the future of mining money from hacking mining databases , the potential is there .
“ The number of attacks on SCADA systems that everyone agrees have happened is probably in the 15 to 20 mark , compared to other forms of cybercrime and cyber espionage , it ’ s minuscule , but it ’ s just got this huge potential for the vulnerabilities .”
Where there ’ s a will there ’ s a way , and cyber hackers are notorious for finding a way .
Look at Target for example . One of the biggest retail hacks in U . S . history wasn ’ t particularly inventive , nor did it appear destined for success , but it happened . The hack stole 40 million credit card numbers , 70 million addresses , phone numbers , and other pieces of personal information in the blink of an eye .
If there ’ s a message to be learned here it ’ s that mining companies need to start paying special attention to their data and how it ’ s protected . Just like their massive mining operations and infrastructures , companies need to build their IT systems in a similar fashion .
Are mining companies susceptible to security IT risk ? In the words of Walter White , “ You ’ re god --- right .”
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