Control systems have been caught in between the analog systems of the past and the digital future. This is due to the rapid evolution of digital technology and the never-ending need for fundamental industries to stay caught up. If they don't, these industries are leaving themselves open to cyber attacks by remaining exposed.

The Advancement of Cyber Criminal Attacks

Over the years cybercriminal attacks have become more advanced. They have also become well-funded and extremely complex and each day more and more businesses and infrastructures are becoming targets. The methods used in the cyber world are aimed at detecting and exploiting weaknesses in infrastructures that are using older forms of security. The goal is to find vulnerabilities and loopholes in systems to launch an attack.

Prevention Is Critical

Control systems must be set up to prevent cyber attacks before they take place. In today's digital landscape, it's not enough to have a system in place that can send out notifications when a threat has been detected. By this point, it could be too late to act. When an attacker gains access to network-connected devices, there must be endpoint protection available that determines how far the attacker can get in terms of exploitation and theft of data and digital assets.

The Use of Third-Party Software

Another contributing cause of cyber-attacks includes the employment of vendors offering third-party software. All businesses and organizations must pay due diligence when using any type of software belonging to third parties. The security features of the software itself as well as the reputation of the company must be fully investigated before deciding to use a certain type of software.

The Loss of Critical Infrastructure Due to Cyber Attacks

Almost $1 trillion was lost in 2020 due to cybercrimes. Some of these losses included financial fraud and account takeovers, to name just a couple. Conventional security approaches like old-school access controls and firewalls just aren't enough to prevent cybercriminals from launching attacks and getting through vulnerabilities. In many cases, a company won't even know that they fell victim to a crime until an external or an internal audit has taken place.

How to Mitigate the Potential Risk of Cyber Attacks

As cybercriminals continue to develop new and evolving strategies, the measures of prevention seem to always be a step behind. For this reason, the security perimeter must be dynamic with a layered approach that is based on the amount of risk. An in-depth defensive strategy and technology are crucial in terms of defending against attacks made online as well as on the premises. Both physical and digital assets must be protected to the best of a company's abilities.

Once systems have been introduced and implemented, constant monitoring of them is in order. Unified strategies of protection that consider both online and physical security must be considered.

Additional security provides priceless protection against cyber attacks. If you are looking for options for security solutions you can read more about access control systems at https://www.egress-sys.co.uk/clocking-terminals/access-control-systems/.