Over the last few years, cyber-attacks on Operational Technology have increased rapidly in frequency and scale. As geopolitical tensions are reflected in cyberspace and attacker technologies become more advanced, the cyber-threat to critical infrastructure and other key operational systems is now front and center of national security concerns. There is a new frontline in cyber defense where protecting against increasingly sophisticated attacks and anticipating future developments in attacker tradecraft is crucial.
This white paper evaluates the development of known OT attack campaigns, and the wider progression of malware, in order to identify trends and extrapolate future scenarios. Special focus is given to the emergence of AI and machine learning techniques, which have revolutionized cyber defense, and will become even more critical as we look into a near future where machine learning is also used by attackers. The grave dangers of weaponized AI are particularly acute in the OT space, and are likely to lead to a form of cyber arms race where only the best AI system will win out.
Darktrace Industrial is the world’s leading AI company for cyber defense. Created by mathematicians from the University of Cambridge, Darktrace’s Industrial Immune System technology uses AI algorithms that mimic the human immune system to defend industrial networks of all types and sizes. In an era where OT and IT are increasingly converging, Darktrace’s technology is uniquely positioned to provide full coverage of both enterprise and industrial environments. By applying advanced machine learning and AI, Darktrace Industrial defends Critical Infrastructure across the world, and is relied upon by leading energy providers, utility companies and manufactures to secure their ICS and SCADA environments.