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  3. Why are there so many articles about PLCs on the Internet where they specifically say they're vulnerable to attacks from Iran?

Why are there so many articles about PLCs on the Internet where they specifically say they're vulnerable to attacks from Iran?

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  • nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange

    @cR0w I'm going to put on my tin foil hat for a second, but I occasionally wonder if security firms sometimes try to drum up PR like this to sell services.

    cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
    cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
    cr0w@infosec.exchange
    wrote last edited by
    #4

    @nerdpr0f I don't think that's tin foily, I thought it was understood that some of them do that. But what I don't get is how they specifically say the systems are vulnerable to attacks from Iran when they're open to attacks from anyone with minimal skillsets.

    nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN da_667@infosec.exchangeD 2 Replies Last reply
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    • babblinggeek@infosec.exchangeB babblinggeek@infosec.exchange

      @cR0w I not so long ago encountered ICS systems just casually using Iranian public IP addresses instead of private IP addresses for internal communication soooooo??

      cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
      cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
      cr0w@infosec.exchange
      wrote last edited by
      #5

      @BabblingGeek That doesn't surprise me at all. Like how many Cisco networks out there are using IP space allocated to Chinese networks.

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • cr0w@infosec.exchangeC cr0w@infosec.exchange

        @nerdpr0f I don't think that's tin foily, I thought it was understood that some of them do that. But what I don't get is how they specifically say the systems are vulnerable to attacks from Iran when they're open to attacks from anyone with minimal skillsets.

        nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
        nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
        nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange
        wrote last edited by
        #6

        @cR0w Eh, that's just contextualizing to make the risk seem more immediate. Everyone is worried about Iran right now, so it makes sense for articles intended to increase anxiety to be oriented around them.

        cr0w@infosec.exchangeC multisn8@mastodon.catgirl.cloudM 2 Replies Last reply
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        • nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange

          @cR0w Eh, that's just contextualizing to make the risk seem more immediate. Everyone is worried about Iran right now, so it makes sense for articles intended to increase anxiety to be oriented around them.

          cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
          cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
          cr0w@infosec.exchange
          wrote last edited by
          #7

          @nerdpr0f whispers Iran is not a top concern of mine right now and I'm blue team for US critical infra. 😉

          nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN 1 Reply Last reply
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          • cr0w@infosec.exchangeC cr0w@infosec.exchange

            @nerdpr0f whispers Iran is not a top concern of mine right now and I'm blue team for US critical infra. 😉

            nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
            nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
            nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange
            wrote last edited by
            #8

            @cR0w Fair enough, but a) I suspect that's probably not universal and b) I rather suspect this is more targeted at higher-level, budget-deciding folks.

            cr0w@infosec.exchangeC 1 Reply Last reply
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            • cr0w@infosec.exchangeC cr0w@infosec.exchange

              @nerdpr0f I don't think that's tin foily, I thought it was understood that some of them do that. But what I don't get is how they specifically say the systems are vulnerable to attacks from Iran when they're open to attacks from anyone with minimal skillsets.

              da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
              da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
              da_667@infosec.exchange
              wrote last edited by
              #9

              @cR0w @nerdpr0f if my time working for Exelon was any indicator, the biggest PLC/ICS threat isn't nation-state actors, it was the vendors bringing in infected shit on their hardware.

              cr0w@infosec.exchangeC da_667@infosec.exchangeD rootwyrm@weird.autosR mttaggart@infosec.exchangeM 4 Replies Last reply
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              • nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange

                @cR0w Fair enough, but a) I suspect that's probably not universal and b) I rather suspect this is more targeted at higher-level, budget-deciding folks.

                cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                cr0w@infosec.exchange
                wrote last edited by
                #10

                @nerdpr0f For sure. But it's so distracted boyfriend meme that it actually bugs me this time.

                nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN 1 Reply Last reply
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                • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                  @cR0w @nerdpr0f if my time working for Exelon was any indicator, the biggest PLC/ICS threat isn't nation-state actors, it was the vendors bringing in infected shit on their hardware.

                  cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                  cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                  cr0w@infosec.exchange
                  wrote last edited by
                  #11

                  @da_667 @nerdpr0f Not just their hardware, but their own entire domains with bullshit requirements.

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • cr0w@infosec.exchangeC cr0w@infosec.exchange

                    @nerdpr0f For sure. But it's so distracted boyfriend meme that it actually bugs me this time.

                    nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
                    nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
                    nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange
                    wrote last edited by
                    #12

                    @cR0w All the AI crap has really drove home to me that the entire tech industry is just the distracted boyfriend meme 24/7. All of it.

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                      @cR0w @nerdpr0f if my time working for Exelon was any indicator, the biggest PLC/ICS threat isn't nation-state actors, it was the vendors bringing in infected shit on their hardware.

                      da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                      da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                      da_667@infosec.exchange
                      wrote last edited by
                      #13

                      @cR0w @nerdpr0f even more important than that for power generation and distribution, it was the wildlife and the climate that was a bigger threat than any of those things.

                      cr0w@infosec.exchangeC gsuberland@chaos.socialG 2 Replies Last reply
                      0
                      • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                        @cR0w @nerdpr0f if my time working for Exelon was any indicator, the biggest PLC/ICS threat isn't nation-state actors, it was the vendors bringing in infected shit on their hardware.

                        rootwyrm@weird.autosR This user is from outside of this forum
                        rootwyrm@weird.autosR This user is from outside of this forum
                        rootwyrm@weird.autos
                        wrote last edited by
                        #14

                        @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f hey now, sometimes the vendors of the equipment attached to the PLC are the ones who bring in the infected shit.

                        nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN da_667@infosec.exchangeD ryanb@infosec.exchangeR 3 Replies Last reply
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                        • rootwyrm@weird.autosR rootwyrm@weird.autos

                          @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f hey now, sometimes the vendors of the equipment attached to the PLC are the ones who bring in the infected shit.

                          nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
                          nerdpr0f@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
                          nerdpr0f@infosec.exchange
                          wrote last edited by
                          #15

                          @rootwyrm @da_667 @cR0w Don't forget bad third party dependencies.

                          1 Reply Last reply
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                          • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                            @cR0w @nerdpr0f if my time working for Exelon was any indicator, the biggest PLC/ICS threat isn't nation-state actors, it was the vendors bringing in infected shit on their hardware.

                            mttaggart@infosec.exchangeM This user is from outside of this forum
                            mttaggart@infosec.exchangeM This user is from outside of this forum
                            mttaggart@infosec.exchange
                            wrote last edited by
                            #16

                            @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f I mean I think the point was that this is a pattern observed in the past by specifically these actors, and that in this moment, it's worth reconsideration.

                            Now granted, CISA does not cite their sources, but the claim was this exploitation was happening anew. And if it was similar to the CyberAv3ngers situation, they wouldn't be shy about claiming credit.

                            cr0w@infosec.exchangeC 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • rootwyrm@weird.autosR rootwyrm@weird.autos

                              @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f hey now, sometimes the vendors of the equipment attached to the PLC are the ones who bring in the infected shit.

                              da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                              da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                              da_667@infosec.exchange
                              wrote last edited by
                              #17

                              @rootwyrm @cR0w @nerdpr0f that's exactly what I was saying. I was a part of an IR engagement where a gas generation plant had to go into manual mode because the vendor infected their server 2003 cluster and fucked operations there for weeks.

                              viss@mastodon.socialV 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                                @cR0w @nerdpr0f even more important than that for power generation and distribution, it was the wildlife and the climate that was a bigger threat than any of those things.

                                cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                                cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                                cr0w@infosec.exchange
                                wrote last edited by
                                #18

                                @da_667 @nerdpr0f RIP cybersquirrel1

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • rootwyrm@weird.autosR rootwyrm@weird.autos

                                  @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f hey now, sometimes the vendors of the equipment attached to the PLC are the ones who bring in the infected shit.

                                  ryanb@infosec.exchangeR This user is from outside of this forum
                                  ryanb@infosec.exchangeR This user is from outside of this forum
                                  ryanb@infosec.exchange
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #19

                                  @rootwyrm @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f Seen it.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • mttaggart@infosec.exchangeM mttaggart@infosec.exchange

                                    @da_667 @cR0w @nerdpr0f I mean I think the point was that this is a pattern observed in the past by specifically these actors, and that in this moment, it's worth reconsideration.

                                    Now granted, CISA does not cite their sources, but the claim was this exploitation was happening anew. And if it was similar to the CyberAv3ngers situation, they wouldn't be shy about claiming credit.

                                    cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                                    cr0w@infosec.exchangeC This user is from outside of this forum
                                    cr0w@infosec.exchange
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #20

                                    @mttaggart @da_667 @nerdpr0f CISA appears to no longer be any more than three DOGE kids in a trenchcoat with a pile of cocaine. I don't expect citations from them anymore as I don't hardly trust them anymore. We can discuss some of that elsewhere when I get my brain in that mode, but there has been so much advice from CISA that appears to just be "Grok, search for Iran and rehash something to make it sound current and relevant."

                                    da_667@infosec.exchangeD 1 Reply Last reply
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                                    0
                                    • da_667@infosec.exchangeD da_667@infosec.exchange

                                      @rootwyrm @cR0w @nerdpr0f that's exactly what I was saying. I was a part of an IR engagement where a gas generation plant had to go into manual mode because the vendor infected their server 2003 cluster and fucked operations there for weeks.

                                      viss@mastodon.socialV This user is from outside of this forum
                                      viss@mastodon.socialV This user is from outside of this forum
                                      viss@mastodon.social
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #21

                                      @da_667 @rootwyrm @cR0w @nerdpr0f

                                      oh like target!
                                      some hvac vendor came in and thats how they got all their registers infected.

                                      yeah every time theres "big news"(tm) with nation state attackers everyone goes OH NO THEY CAN GO AFTER HYDRO AND POWER AND BANKS AND HOSPITALS

                                      of course thats where they would go

                                      all those verticals intentionally avoid security at nearly all cost all the time.

                                      they're the lowest hanging fruit

                                      viss@mastodon.socialV tim_lavoie@cosocial.caT 2 Replies Last reply
                                      0
                                      • cr0w@infosec.exchangeC cr0w@infosec.exchange

                                        @mttaggart @da_667 @nerdpr0f CISA appears to no longer be any more than three DOGE kids in a trenchcoat with a pile of cocaine. I don't expect citations from them anymore as I don't hardly trust them anymore. We can discuss some of that elsewhere when I get my brain in that mode, but there has been so much advice from CISA that appears to just be "Grok, search for Iran and rehash something to make it sound current and relevant."

                                        da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                                        da_667@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                                        da_667@infosec.exchange
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #22

                                        @cR0w @mttaggart @nerdpr0f

                                        CISAs haunted

                                        "what"

                                        grabs cyber shotgun

                                        CISAs haunted.

                                        cr0w@infosec.exchangeC 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • viss@mastodon.socialV viss@mastodon.social

                                          @da_667 @rootwyrm @cR0w @nerdpr0f

                                          oh like target!
                                          some hvac vendor came in and thats how they got all their registers infected.

                                          yeah every time theres "big news"(tm) with nation state attackers everyone goes OH NO THEY CAN GO AFTER HYDRO AND POWER AND BANKS AND HOSPITALS

                                          of course thats where they would go

                                          all those verticals intentionally avoid security at nearly all cost all the time.

                                          they're the lowest hanging fruit

                                          viss@mastodon.socialV This user is from outside of this forum
                                          viss@mastodon.socialV This user is from outside of this forum
                                          viss@mastodon.social
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #23

                                          @da_667 @rootwyrm @cR0w @nerdpr0f when i worked at sempra energy, one of the things i got to do was "vendor security reviews". that means doing assessments on shit rando business units wanted to buy or setup.

                                          they would OPEN THE DISCUSSION with the phrase:

                                          "tell me when youre done with your assessment, so we can file the risk acceptance forms".

                                          meaning they had zero interest in the report, because they were gonna bypass it no matter what was in it

                                          none@infosec.exchangeN B 2 Replies Last reply
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