Hackers don’t have favourites when it comes to exploiting big companies for financial gain. They spread their net far and wide – any business with proprietary information, customer data and a need to remain operational is in the firing line.
However, the bigger the business and the bigger the disruption they can cause, the bigger the prize for the criminals. This, amongst other reasons we’ll get to below, has led to a massive rise in cyber threats in the mining sector.
Let’s look at some recent incidents.
Recent Mining Company Cyber Attacks
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) receives a cybercrime report every six minutes, to the tune of over 94,000 a year. Many of these hit the mining industry, with some notable recent examples being:
Gold Miner Attack: Australia’s second-largest gold miner had a significant ransomware attack affect its systems in August of 2024. The incident was contained with no effect on operations.
Large Mining Corporation Hack: March 2023 saw a global mining entity get hit by one of the biggest cyber-attacks ever in the mining sector. Employees family and financial information was seized by a Russian hacking organisation, who leaked it onto the dark web.
West Australian Cyber Attack: The Russians behind the global mining entity attack also targeted a large West Australian mining organisation. They stole data from their networks and threatened to leak it online to encourage the mining group to meet their demands.
British Columbia Mining Corporation: A ransomware attack on the computer systems of a British Columbia mine caused a full shutdown of operations. No environmental or safety incidents were recorded as a result, but the stoppage of production was a significant cost to the organisation.
Why is the Mining Sector Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks?
Head of Monash University’s Department of Software Systems and Cybersecurity, Nigel Phair, stressed that each mining company needs to undertake its own cyber security risk analysis to plug the holes in their technology platforms. He said:
“They’re in it for money and they know the mining sector has plenty of money, so they will continue to target the sector, either through the front door, through third parties or contractors, through a different variety of means.”
The mining industry has jumped onboard the digitisation revolution with gusto, seeing the powerful opportunities it creates when it comes to driving productivity and improving margins. This increasing reliance on digital technologies can make it increasingly difficult for operators to secure their environment. Consider the following:
IT and OT Convergence: As business IT and operational technology become more closely connected, the attack surface on which hackers can work has widened. It’s also increased the likelihood of a cyber incident affecting operations and production, as well as impacting business strategies. Equipment that once upon a time operated independently of any connectivity, like drills and trucks, is now connected to a network that requires cyber fortification.
Blurred Security Perimeters: Think of all the devices spread across a mining operation. The work laptops, smartphones and tablets of staff members, contractors, and visitors, plus all their personal devices. Think of the sensors and operating systems on machinery that’s coming in and out of the site. Who’s connecting to the company networks and what permissions do they have? Creating a digital security perimeter is a mammoth task, and the grey area this creates leads to both malicious and unintentional cyber incidents.
Complex Technology Landscape: There’s no standard when it comes to the tech landscape of a mine site. It’s complex, bespoke, and has evolved over time in its own unique fashion to support operations. Multiple teams with different functions connect to multiple networks. There are aerial survey drones, self-driving haulage systems, remote operations centres and automated machinery relying on sensors and interconnected control systems to operate. It’s a complex array of technology, requiring advanced and robust cyber security.
The Effect of a Cyber-Attack on a Mining Operation
A cyber-attack can have damaging effects that reach far beyond the significant financial ones. For a start, a successful mine site is built around stringent health and safety. It’s a high-risk zone, and everything possible is done to keep team members and assets safe. A cyber incident can throw one big spanner in the works. It could jeopardise safety and health monitoring technology, alter or stop automated machinery from operating, and affect environmental monitoring and conditions. In many ways, cyber security equals site safety.
Disruption of business operations is often at the core of a hacker’s intentions. Downtime on a mine site is expensive, so if they bring things to a halt even for a few moments it can be extremely costly. Supply chains are disrupted, equipment can be damaged, revenue lost, and opportunities missed.
It doesn’t stop there – brand and reputation can take a hit, and there may be penalties and fines to pay for non-compliance with industry cyber regulations. The costs keep adding up.
How to Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats
The mining sector has embraced digitisation, so you can bet your bottom dollar there will be huge leaps forward in the technology used in the sector. Data collection and analytics, automation and use of the cloud will all surge ahead, and mining operators need to ensure they have the necessary cyber security in place to keep it safe. It needs to be a ‘rock solid’ component of their risk management framework.
The conversation around mining cyber security solutions should include topics like employee training; implementing robust safeguards such as firewalls, intrusion detection and secure communication protocols, multi-factor authentication and regular security audits.
At Smile IT, we are strong advocates of the Essential Eight mitigation strategies when it comes to cyber security in mining, and other industries. Recommended by the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Essential Eight is a powerful way of forming a solid cyber security baseline for your mining organisation.
An Essential Eight assessment will help you determine the security level that’s appropriate for your organisation. It identifies the areas requiring attention, allowing you to optimise your approach towards fortress-like digital defences. We recommend it for businesses of all sizes.
If you’ve got questions about securing your mining company’s technology landscape, the Smile IT cyber team would love to answer them. Get in touch today and let’s have a chat!
When he’s not writing tech articles or turning IT startups into established and consistent managed service providers, Peter Drummond can be found kitesurfing on the Gold Coast or hanging out with his family!