Rise in USB threats causing costly business disruptions: Honeywell report

According to a report released by Honeywell, USB-based threats that can severely impact business operations increased significantly during a disruptive year when the usage of removable media and network connectivity also grew.

Data from the 2021 Honeywell Industrial USB Threat Report indicates that 37 percent of threats were specifically designed to utilize removable media, which almost doubled from 19 percent in the 2020 report. The research also highlights that 79 percent of cyberthreats originating from USB devices or removable media could lead to a critical business disruption in the operational technology environment. At the same time, there was a 30 percent increase in the use of USB devices in production facilities last year, highlighting the growing dependence on removable media.

The report was based on aggregated cybersecurity threat data from hundreds of industrial facilities globally during a 12-month period. Along with USB attacks, research shows a growing number of cyber threats including remote access, Trojans and content-based malware have the potential to cause severe disruption to industrial infrastructure.

“USB-borne malware was a serious and expanding business risk in 2020, with clear indications that removable media has become part of the playbook used by attackers, including those that employ ransomware,” said Eric Knapp, engineering fellow and director of cybersecurity research for Honeywell Connected Enterprise.