Study finds low confidence in the ability to
prevent email-related threats and an urgent need for improved email
security practices in critical infrastructure sectors
TAMPA,
Fla., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OPSWAT, a
global leader in critical infrastructure protection (CIP)
cybersecurity solutions, today released the 2024 Report: Email
Security Threats Against Critical Infrastructure Organizations.
This research was conducted with Osterman Research, known for its
in-depth analysis and insights into emerging trends and
technologies in IT security and data management. The study surveyed
IT and security leaders working within critical infrastructure
industries and revealed that 80% of organizations experienced an
email-related security breach over the past year and 63.3% of
respondents acknowledge that their email security approach needs to
be improved.
Email is a necessary tool for communication and productivity
across all sectors, but it is also the primary attack vector for
cyber threats with attackers exploiting vulnerabilities through
phishing attempts, malicious links, and harmful attachments. Once
infiltrated, these threats can cascade through networks,
jeopardizing both IT and operational technology (OT) environments.
Alarmingly, more than half of respondents believed email messages
and attachments to be benign by default, failing to realize
inherent email risks.
"This lax approach from survey respondents emphasizes the need
to adopt a zero-trust mindset," said Yiyi
Miao, Chief Product Officer at OPSWAT. "The prevalence of
email-related breaches poses a significant threat to critical
infrastructure organizations, necessitating a shift to a stronger,
prevention-based perimeter defense strategy against established
communication and data exchange channels."
Key Research Highlights:
- Critical Infrastructure Remains a Target: 80% of
critical infrastructure entities fell prey to email-related
security breaches within the past 12 months, highlighting their
attractiveness to cyber threat actors.
- Lingering Vulnerability: Despite advancements in
cybersecurity, 48% of organizations lack confidence in their
existing email security defenses, leaving them vulnerable to
potentially devastating cyberattacks.
- Noncompliance presents significant operational and business
risks: Shockingly, 65% of organizations are not compliant with
regulatory standards, exposing themselves to significant
operational and business risks.
The survey responses also unveiled a major gap in advanced email
security capabilities that preclude and prevent threats from
reaching users' inboxes. Essential measures such as Content Disarm
and Reconstruction (CDR), URL scanning for malicious signals, and
anomaly detection within email messages are notably absent in many
organizations' defenses.
Organizations recognize the need to improve their efforts in
preventing email attacks. In response to these critical challenges,
OPSWAT reaffirms its commitment to equipping critical
infrastructure organizations with cutting-edge, prevention-based
cybersecurity solutions.
For access to the full report and additional findings, visit
https://www.opswat.com/osterman-report.
About OPSWAT
For the last 20 years OPSWAT, a global leader in IT, OT, and ICS
critical infrastructure cybersecurity, has continuously evolved an
end-to-end solutions platform that gives public and private sector
organizations and enterprises the critical advantage needed to
protect their complex networks and ensure compliance. Empowered by
a "Trust no file. Trust no device.™" philosophy, OPSWAT solves
customers' challenges around the world with zero-trust solutions
and patented technologies across every level of their
infrastructure, securing their networks, data, and devices, and
preventing known and unknown threats, zero-day attacks, and
malware. Discover how OPSWAT protects the world's critical
infrastructure and helps secure our way of life; visit
www.opswat.com.
Media Contact
Kat Lewis
VP of Global Marketing & Communications
415-590-7300
383363@email4pr.com
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SOURCE OPSWAT