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Andrew Lintell , General Manager , EMEA , at Claroty , outlines why all organisations in the transport sector must ensure they have robust security in place .

Despite their diversity , all of these organisations are united by escalated cyberthreats . As a sector with some of the largest physical operations , and one that is heavily linked to both business and civilian operations , transport is highly vulnerable to disruption .

Against escalating threats , all organisations involved in the transport sector must ensure they have robust security in place to deliver resilience and keep their operations moving in the face of disruptive attacks .

How digitisation has increased vulnerability

Transport organisations are heavily reliant on cyber-physical systems ( CPS ), where digital assets are connected with physical processes . This means disruptive attacks like ransomware can have a more significant impact than other sectors , as disabling a single system can cause an entire operation to screech to a halt . form of sensors , cameras and many other uses . Yet they often lack robust security features , such as proper asset classification and segmentation protocols , which can create additional vulnerabilities . The risk extends beyond individual IoT devices to encompass the entire Extended Internet of Things ( XIoT ), which includes Industrial Control Systems ( ICS ), Operational Technology ( OT ), Industrial IoT ( IIoT ) and building management systems ( BMS ).

The push for connectivity and digitisation has amplified these vulnerabilities within the sector . Passengers expect real-time updates on transport services for example , and hauliers need to be able to monitor their fleets , necessitating continuous online connectivity . Additionally , vendors need access to OT , IoT and IIoT systems to monitor and maintain operations , but integration into the cloud for real-time analytics further exposes these systems to attackers .

Traditionally , OT systems were manually focused and isolated from IT networks and the Internet . Digital integration has enabled better efficiency through automation and remote access , but also exposed these systems to a connected environment they were never designed for . OT systems are rarely compatible with standard IT management and security solutions , making it even more difficult to identify threats .

Andrew Lintell , General Manager , EMEA , at Claroty

Alongside this , these cyber-physical systems can also create an expanded attack surface for threat actors to exploit .

Internet of Things ( IoT ) devices , for example , are widespread in the transport sector in the

The growing prevalence of ransomware attacks has affected both IT and OT environments and increased the need for thorough visibility across all CPS . This visibility is crucial for quickly detecting and mitigating breaches , safeguarding the future of transport operations .

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