Middle East gas is a cyber threat

S&PGlobal Global Ratings issued a recent report on the exposure of the gas industry in the Middle East to significant cyber risks coinciding with the war in Palestine.

Onapsis Director of Security Research , Paul Lodansky, warned:  “The effects of these #digitalbattles go far beyond local geography.  In recent years, we have seen the stress on global supply chains and energy systems from #cyberattacks, prompting governments to bolster their precautions and develop crisis protocols.” for the global economy.”

Paul added: “If oil and gas stations in the Middle East are exposed to cyberattacks as a result of the ongoing conflict, the attacks and malware will go beyond common types to advanced types.”

The s&pglobal report also stated that: “If the massacres spread beyond the borders of Palestine, the gas industry in the #Middle_East will be more exposed to risks than the oil industry.”

In his turn, StrikeReady CEO, Anurag Gurtu, stated:  “Oil and gas companies, as critical infrastructure, are a prime target for state-funded or politically motivated cyber groups that aim to disrupt operations, steal sensitive data, or cause economic damage.” 

Last year, Europe witnessed an energy crisis that escalated significantly globally due to the lack of local infrastructure. 

MCF Energy CEO, James Hill, stated: “There is a parallel concern about local production in the Middle East due to #cybersecurity_challenges, especially in the gas sector.”

Multiple Saudi institutions were also infected, in 2016 and 2017, with the Shamoon virus, including the petrochemical company Tasnee and a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical. The virus deleted data from all affected devices in a few minutes, and since then, several cyberattacks have been attempted against the company.

One of the major #cyberattacks targeted hydrocarbon energy facilities in the Middle East in 2017, including an attack on Saudi Aramco’s industrial control system. But fortunately, a glitch in the virus’s programming stopped oil and gas production before pressure, heat, and voltage were affected, leading to the explosion.