Cybersecurity in industrial organisations can be further improved by making it a sustainable development goal.

According to ‘The State of Industrial Cybersecurity in the Era of Digitalisation’ report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, 98 per cent of industrial firms believe that sustainable development strategy and the specific role of Chief Sustainability Officer will improve their cybersecurity.

As per the report, industrial organisations have a mixed approach to their sustainable development policies. 56 per cent of industrial businesses don’t plan on introducing the role of CSO, but nearly 50 per cent of the businesses are planning to introduce technical measures in the area while 44 per cent of businesses are planning further investments.

“The level of protection from cyberthreats in industrial organisations can directly impact the safety of their employees and sensitive customer data, relationships with partners, people and environmental safety. This means organisations need to make cybersecurity part of their sustainable development strategy so that it can enhance a company’s approach to cyber protection,” Kaspersky said.

According to the firm, 32 per cent of firms believe that the consequences of cyberattacks can directly affect the lives and health of their employees while 28 per cent of respondents recognise that the loss of sensitive data as one of their major cybersecurity challenges.

“Dedicated sustainability initiatives, including introducing the role of a Chief Sustainability Officer, may be seen as a way to mitigate such risks and improve industrial organization protection from related cyber threats,” the report said.

25 per cent of firms have allocated investments for sustainable development while many firms are planning to do so in the future.

“The activities of any company, especially an industrial one, affect many aspects of society. Sustainable development initiatives aim to ensure that this impact is either neutral or positive. From this perspective, organizations being reliably protected from cyberthreats is not just an individual goal – it is part of an overall sustainability trend. Adopting a corresponding concept means thinking about the role cybersecurity has in a business’s agenda and how it should be improved to cover both corporate and industrial infrastructure, as well as ensure all employees follow proper cyber-hygiene practices,” said Anton Shipulin, Solution Business Lead, Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity at Kaspersky.

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