Cybercriminals Might Attack Industrial Robots. Here’s What You Need To Do

If you go back in time to 1954, when the world's first robot, Unimate was invented by George Devol, scientists will say that robots can only do one task, repetitively. With advancements being made in science and technology, we know what a robot is capable of doing. We can predict a future where robots will automate several jobs, boosting productivity for businesses and making a human's life easy. However, with science making leaps and bounds of progress, the risk of cybersecurity being compromised arises. Cybersecurity experts worry that hackers will hijack robots as easily as cloud servers. This will have devastating consequences for human wellbeing.

The fourth industrial revolution relies on AI and cloud storage to share information and react to real-time data. As a precaution, robots need to do more than just perform tasks. They need to have a way to strengthen their security while doing other tasks in a flexible business environment.

The majority of the robots around us don't pose a threat to human operations. They coexist and work around humans. However, if a cybercriminal hacks one of these robots, that could change drastically.

Manufacturers Need To Prepare The Bots

The future is robot-dependent. We will soon live in a society where we will have to coexist with robots even outside of work. It's already happening now via home bots and smart home devices. Therefore, manufacturers should step up to the challenge. Cyberattacks are a reality now and the number will only get higher with time, whether we like it or not.

The first step to secure our bots will be to secure the IoT devices against threats. Currently, there are no standard protocols. And that's a threat in itself. To counter this, some companies are trying to put standards in place. For example, IEC 62443 tries to address autonomous systems and their control systems to make sure they have a standard cybersecurity element engineered.

For businesses that employ IoT, it is important for them to consult IEC 62443. By doing that, they can check what standards are already in place to protect the employees who work in close proximity to the machines. IEC 62443 clearly differentiates threats from automation and threats that involve information security management. Apart from this, there are many standards for businesses to follow, but those standards are still a work in progress. The coming year will see a full IEC code which will make this easier for businesses.

Cybersecurity Needs To Be A Part Of The Product Development Timeline

According to experts, businesses that use automation processes need to build cybersecurity into the systems development cycle. They need to ensure informational safety and then physical safety of devices with override digital instructions. Experts also say that most businesses are unaware of the threats. The fundamental solution to this issue is to create a culture of security where people are aware of the possible threats and are prepared for them with an alternate. IoT applications will function in many new ways. Security systems must catch up with it to avoid any pain and loss. People around it should understand that the stakes are higher and prevention should be their prime agenda.