When it comes to the oil and gas industry, cybersecurity might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be. With a plethora of sensitive information, the industry is far more susceptible to a cyber attack than you may have initially thought. What’s more, most oil and gas companies also work closely with a number of different stakeholders which make the consequences of each attack even greater.

Fortunately, increased security measures have been taken in recent years thanks to automation and integration within the oil and gas industry. Since sensitive information pertaining to drilling spots and machine access codes exist within company databases, the potential risks, should this data be compromised, include plant shutdowns, equipment failure, product quality disruption and more. In addition, the industry has recently moved towards remote-based technologies, like drones, which require information to be digitally shared. Therefore, in order to prevent a hacker from accessing critical data, oil and gas companies must take extra care to apply and enforce strict security protocols.

Read below to learn more about the cybersecurity issues that face the oil and gas industry and what you can do to ensure that your company is taking the appropriate actions to defend against them.

How to Protect Your Company from 5 Key Cybersecurity Issues

1. Human Error: A threat to your company does not always come from a malicious source. Regardless of industry, there is always a high likelihood that careless behavior in the workplace may be to blame for an attack. For instance, a lack of end user awareness when it comes to phishing scams puts your company at risk.
2. Reputation Risk: A staggering amount of oil and gas companies have experienced a significant cybersecurity threat in the past. Demonstrate that you have a robust incident response program in place or you may put your company’s reputation at risk.
3. Up-to-date Cyber Security: A lack of skilled resources will threaten the safety of your company. Therefore, having the right cyber workforce in place is essential for tackling and overcoming incoming threats and will help meet your security needs.
4. Internet of Things (IoT): As IoT technology continues to rise in popularity; it also presents many challenges for the oil and gas industry. As another gateway for a sophisticated attack, it is extremely important to ensure that your implemented security controls can keep up with the current requirements.
5. Financial Impact: For most companies, current security reports do not provide an accurate estimate of the financial impact when a breach occurs. Cybersecurity spending should always be increased after you experience a threat, even if it did not appear to do any harm on the surface.

Enhance Your Security Infrastructure with GlassHouse Systems

As cyber threats continue to plague the oil and gas industry, companies are already doing the right thing by putting more resources into security practices. Take your cyber security defense one step further with GlassHouse Systems. Our industry-leading team of knowledgeable and experienced technicians can help you understand where your vulnerabilities are and apply the appropriate protective measures to keep your company safe from criminal activity. Subsequently, we can provide you with a multifaceted IT system that includes top-of-the-line Security products to protect your data from various entry points.

Contact us or leave a comment below to learn more about the existing cyber threats in the oil and gas industry and how GlassHouse Systems can optimize your security infrastructure.

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