Book Image

Critical Infrastructure Security

By : Soledad Antelada Toledano
Book Image

Critical Infrastructure Security

By: Soledad Antelada Toledano

Overview of this book

Discover the core of cybersecurity through gripping real-world accounts of the most common assaults on critical infrastructure – the body of vital systems, networks, and assets so essential that their continued operation is required to ensure the security of a nation, its economy, and the public’s health and safety – with this guide to understanding cybersecurity principles. From an introduction to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity concepts to the most common types of attacks, this book takes you through the life cycle of a vulnerability and how to assess and manage it. You’ll study real-world cybersecurity breaches, each incident providing insights into the principles and practical lessons for cyber defenders striving to prevent future breaches. From DDoS to APTs, the book examines how each threat activates, operates, and succeeds. Additionally, you’ll analyze the risks posed by computational paradigms, such as the advancement of AI and quantum computing, to legacy infrastructure. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to identify key cybersecurity principles that can help mitigate evolving attacks to critical infrastructure.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
1
Part 1: Introduction to Critical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Concepts
5
Part 2: Dissecting Cyberattacks on CI
8
Part 3: Protecting Critical Infrastructure
12
Part 4: What’s Next

Ukrainian power grid attack (2015)

The Ukrainian power grid attack, which notably occurred in December 2015, was a significant cyber-physical incident that disrupted Ukraine’s power distribution. It was one of the first public examples where a cyber attack led to real-world consequences by causing a widespread power outage.

Here’s a technical description of how the attack unfolded:

Technical Description

Initial compromise

The attackers began with a spear-phishing campaign targeting employees of three Ukrainian regional power distribution companies.

The emails contained Microsoft Office documents embedded with the BlackEnergy 3 malware. Once the documents were opened, the malware was delivered to the host computer.

Once BlackEnergy was in the target’s system, it facilitated the delivery of KillDisk and other modules.

KillDisk...