In its interview with USA Today, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, mentioned a new cyberthreat emerging. He used the phrase “killware” as an umbrella term for all cyberattacks intended to cause illness or death.
Is the Attack on the Water Treatment Facility in Oldsmar, Florida, Just the First of Many?
Mayorkas used a February attack on the water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida, as an example of things to follow. The cyberattack in question could have endangered the lives of thousands of people. The hackers gained access to the controls of chemical distribution.
Some chemicals used in water treatment are benign in small quantities but lethal in high doses. They’ve tried to increase the levels of sodium hydroxide to dangerous levels. This alerted the employees, and the attack was stopped.
This is a horrifying story, but not because of the intent to harm, but because of the lack of basic common-sense precautions in important infrastructure facilities.
The Flashy Headlines Divert Attention From the Real Problems
Malwarebytes addressed the media frenzy and excitement with the new term “killware.” In its blog post from October 18, the author explained what the actual dangers are. Killware is such a resounding name that makes great headlines. But it diverts attention from the real problems.
For instance, the attack on the water treatment facility was no high-tech, complicated operation. The hacker simply took advantage of the fact that the facility used Team Viewer (software that enables remote control between computers) and the fact that every computer had the same login info and that the passwords always remained the same. Unfortunately, that’s not that uncommon – 59% of financial companies have more than 500 passwords that never expire.
This means that everyone with even the basic knowledge can access critical government infrastructure mainframes and cause damage.
Is Killware an Appropriate Term and Are We Safe?
We are more connected than ever, and many of us have smart home hubs that regulate our home environment. So it’s only natural to be afraid and ask ourselves if we are protected from this emerging threat.
Malwarebytes questions the use of the term “killware” because ransomware, in general, does harm, no matter what the intention was. Cybersecurity vendors do not classify or identify cyberattacks based on their final objectives, nor do they create defenses based on them.
It’s like requesting a locksmith to make one set of locks to prevent burglaries and the other set to prevent assaults. A good lock is a good lock, no matter what the crooks are planning to do after. Just like locks, cybersecurity tools are designed to prevent criminals from getting in.
Common-Sense Precautions Could Go a Long Way in Battling Cybercrime
The author also emphasizes the need for less panic and more common-sense precautions. For instance, the water treatment facility’s computers had internet access, but none of them had even the most basic firewall.
In April, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack shook the market and installed fear in many, and it was also enabled by the lack of basic procedures in cybersecurity. Namely, hackers used former employees’ login data, which hasn’t been erased from the system. The hackers found it on the Dark Web and gained access to the company’s computers, causing problems in fuel across the nation.
We can only hope that the authorities will take the latest attacks seriously. As individuals, we can also increase our safety by installing an antivirus program to protect us from unwanted guests.
