A report from Trustwave SpiderLabs indicates a rise in cyberattacks against the utilities sector. Since 2023, there has been an 80% increase in ransomware incidents against utilities. According to the report, 47% of global cyberattacks against the utilities sector target the United States. Additionally, electrical infrastructure in the U.S. is an average of 40 years old. 25% have surpassed 50 years. This outdated infrastructure plays a role in the rise in cyberattacks against U.S. utilities.
Key findings from the report include:
- $500,000 is the average financial impact of a data breach within the utilities sector.
- Phishing is the most common and successful technique used by malicious actors, accounting for 84% of breaches.
- 96% of malicious actors utilized remote services to move laterally.
- 67% of credential access tactics were brute force.
The report also revealed ransomware groups increasingly targeting the utilities sector. Groups including Hunters International, Akira, Qilin, Conti and LockBit have been targeting utilities. Hunters International alone is responsible for 19% of attacks last year.
