LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Microsoft has reportedly informed that Operational Technology (OT) is being used by hackers as a doorway into an organization’s network.
The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) estimates that 1.1 billion Internet of Things (IoT) connections will exist in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by 2025, which coincides with the region’s expanding IoT connections.
According to Microsoft’s newest Cyber Signals study, the rise of OT and IoT has provided thieves with more options to hack into a company’s network.
In the most recent version, critical infrastructure is at greater risk from converged IT, IoT, and OT systems.
The report is a regular cyber threat intelligence brief that highlights security trends and insights gleaned from Microsoft’s 65 trillion daily security signals and 8,500 security specialists.
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In a complicated threat landscape, Middle East and African (MEA) CIOs are particularly concerned about the effects of a potential security breach.
The 11.2 per cent increase in MENA’s cyber security investment from the previous year demonstrates this.
New attack routes and opportunities for cybercriminals are emerging as a result of the continent of Africa’s expanding rate of digital transformation.
Nigerian CIOs are most worried about the repercussions of a potential security breach as they attempt to navigate an environment where threats and regulations are becoming more complex.
This is supported by the Enterprise Security Trends in Nigeria study that IDC and Microsoft commissioned.
Nigerian organizations are aware of the value of creating a proactive security strategy.
According to the IDC poll, 72% of Nigerian organizations have boosted their security budgets by 10% or more in recent years.
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Speaking on the new report during a webinar, Ola Williams, Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, said the increase in digital transformation across the region has enabled organisations to manage their buildings, emergency systems and access control with smart devices connected to a network.
“In addition, we have seen an increase in IoT devices in the workplace to better enable hybrid work, such as smart conference rooms with microphones and cameras,” he said.
“As the threat landscape continues to expand and become more complex, organisations need to rethink their cyber risk approach to stay one step ahead of would-be attackers.
“Cyber Signals found that there are currently over one million connected devices publicly visible on the internet running Boa, an outdated and unsupported software still widely used in IoT devices and software development kits.
“Organisations are more connected than ever before. From the humble WiFi router to the everyday office printer, ICT teams need to view their IoT devices differently and secure them as they would any company laptop to prevent security breaches.
“Gaining complete visibility of an organisation’s OT systems and protecting its IoT solutions will go a long way in preventing cyber attacks,” she said.
