Strengthening Critical Infrastructure with Privileged Access Management

Critical infrastructure protects the health and safety of a nation and its people and it must always be resilient to changing conditions including disruption caused by criminals and even state-sponsored bad actors.

When we talk about critical infrastructure, we mean systems like transportation, finance, utilities, water supply, and the power supply. 

With advances in technology, including a growing reliance on cloud-based tools, these systems are becoming evermore vulnerable to cyberattacks. 

Bad actors exploit these weaknesses with the goal of extracting a ransom or causing massive disruption and even physical harm. 

The impact on critical infrastructure of rising cyber threats

Attacks on critical infrastructure can have a nightmarish impact. Consider the Colonial Pipeline attack of 2021. The Colonial Pipeline, a major fuel pipeline in the United States, was targeted by a ransomware attack. 

A ransomware attack is a type of cyber attack where files, systems, or networks are essentially blocked until the victim pays a ransom to regain access.

The attack led to fuel shortages, which caused prices to surge and therefore widespread economic and political fallout. 

Or consider the attack on Ukraine’s power grid (2015 - 2016) when state-sponsored bad actors caused widespread power outages and showed the world the scale of damage that cyberattacks can cause when sponsored by a merciless enemy. 

The concept of warfare has expanded beyond the physical battlefield and into cyberspace. Countries like Iran, North Korea, and Russia are known to sponsor cyber gangs that target critical infrastructure. 

These state-sponsored attacks aim to destabilize economies and disrupt the day-to-day lives of citizens, without a single drop of blood being shed.

How Privileged Access Management (PAM) can protect critical infrastructure

Protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks is essential. Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a foundational strategy that protects critical infrastructure. 

Here's how PAM strengthens these defenses:

1. Protection of Privileged Accounts: Privileged accounts are often targeted by attackers because they provide access to sensitive systems and data. PAM solutions manage and secure these accounts, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access critical information.
2. Monitoring and Compliance: A robust PAM solution helps organizations monitor and log every privileged activity. This not only aids in detecting unauthorized access but also provides a trail for compliance, helping organizations meet regulatory obligations and enhance their cybersecurity posture.
3. Internal Threat Protection: PAM also guards against internal threats. By controlling access to sensitive systems and data, PAM minimizes the risk of insider threats, whether malicious or accidental, which can be just as damaging as external attacks.

Implementing least privilege: challenges and strategies in securing critical infrastructure

The principle of least privilege is a critical component of cybersecurity strategies aimed at protecting critical infrastructure. 

This principle ensures that users have only the access necessary to perform their tasks, minimizing potential attack vectors. But implementation can be challenging, especially across complex systems. 

By strictly controlling access, organizations can limit the attack surface, making it harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems. One tactic is called “Role-Based Access Control” or “RBAC.”

Role-based access means assigning user groups precisely the access levels they need. RBAC minimizes risk by avoiding excessive permissions. 

In addition, reducing or eliminating standing privileges will also lower the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive systems.

How senhasegura can help organizations protect critical infrastructure

Protecting critical infrastructure is no easy task and a trusted partner like senhasegura can help overcome some major challenges. 

Important considerations include: 

1. Legacy Systems: Many critical infrastructure systems rely on outdated technologies that were not designed with modern security practices in mind. These complex environments add layers of difficulty to managing security.
2. Limited Resources: There is a significant gap in the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals available to protect critical infrastructure. Limited resources can hinder the ability to adequately defend against cyber threats.
3. Compliance: With evolving regulatory obligations, maintaining compliance is an ongoing challenge. Organizations must continually adapt to meet new standards and regulations related to critical infrastructure security.

The threats are real, and the challenges are complex. But there is good news. There are tools available right now to protect critical infrastructure against harm. 

The senhasegura mission is to help organizations safeguard their critical assets and we have identified some best practices for Privileged Access Management. These are: 

1. Risk Assessment: Start with a thorough risk assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities and understand the sources of risk.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for all privileged accounts. This basic control provides significant security benefits and is relatively easy to implement.
3. Monitoring and Auditing: Regularly monitor and audit privileged accounts to ensure that access is appropriate and secure. Visibility into privileged access credentials is key to maintaining security.
4. Automation: Use automation to manage and rotate privileged credentials. When  credentials are updated regularly the risk of compromise is reduced. 
5. Incident Response Plan: Develop an incident response plan and regularly test it. And include in the plan a training program so employees understand how to respond to breaches. When developing an incident response and recovery plan, organizations should identify potential sources of risk and develop strategies for responding to different types of incidents. Organizations can even play their own form of a war game to test the plan and ensure that it works. 

Conclusion

Organizations that neglect cybersecurity considerations for critical infrastructure risk potentially crippling consequences. 

Securing critical infrastructure is not just a priority — it's an absolute necessity. 

The good news is that options are available, right now. Adopting a protocol for Privileged Access Management can significantly enhance infrastructure security. And we at senhasegura are here to help.