- New research from Ground Control shows most people feel organisations do not invest enough in cybersecurity
- Cyber-attacks remain one of the leading threats to critical national infrastructure
- Satellite IoT connectivity plays a crucial role in enhancing cyber resilience, particularly for mission-critical applications where traditional networks face vulnerabilities.
Over eight in 10 (82 per cent) believe organisations are not investing enough in cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to protecting critical national infrastructure (CNI) according to data released today.
The research, commissioned by IoT, M2M and critical communications service and technology provider, Ground Control, quizzed over 500 people in industries such as healthcare, energy, utilities, water, waste, transport, financial services, manufacturing and agriculture.
The poll comes at a time when cyber-attacks remain one of the leading threats to national security and the technology landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed.
Out of the 500 respondents surveyed, two thirds (62 per cent) said they would feel safer knowing that critical national infrastructure had back up satellite communications in the event of a cyberattack or connectivity failure, while 46 per cent said they had ‘little or no confidence’ in the healthcare industry’s cyber security measures. No sector scored higher than 31 per cent when it came to moderate or full confidence in their organisation’s cyber security measures.
Key survey findings
- 82 per cent of respondents believe organisations are not investing enough in cybersecurity for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).
- 62 per cent would feel safer knowing that CNI had backup satellite communications in the event of a cyberattack or internet failure.
- 46 per cent have ‘little or no confidence’ in the healthcare industry’s cybersecurity measures.
- No sector scored higher than 31 per cent for moderate or full confidence in cybersecurity protections.
- Higher-income households (£140,000+) expressed more concern over cybersecurity than those in lower-income brackets (£20,000-).
- Respondents over 60 years old were more concerned about cybersecurity than those aged 18-29.
Cellular data often passes through local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which create potential vulnerabilities, including DDoS attacks, ‘Man-in-the-Middle’ Attacks, and DNS poisoning, whereas satellite communications typically bypass local ISPs, reducing their exposure to regional cyber threats. Additionally, there’s a reduced physical attack surface, as much of the infrastructure is in space, and satellite signals are harder to intercept than cellular.
But there are a growing number of satellite networks and service options, which in turn deliver varying levels of security. Whether as a primary or failover means of communication, when considering satellite, users should explore their providers’ encryption standards, robustness and flexibility of VPNs and firewalls, and whether the option to utilise a private wire is available.
Alastair MacLeod, CEO of Ground Control commented: “The latest findings on cybersecurity threats to Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) underscore a pressing reality: organisations must rethink their approach to resilience and security. With evidence pointing towards ransomware attacks rising, it is clear that traditional security measures are falling short.
“The public’s lack of confidence in cybersecurity across key sectors such as healthcare and transport further highlights the urgent need for robust, multi-layered security strategies. At Ground Control, we believe satellite IoT connectivity plays a crucial role in enhancing cyber resilience, particularly for mission-critical applications where traditional networks face vulnerabilities.”
To help businesses grapple with the increasing risks of cyber threats, Ground Control is hosting a free webinar on how to use realtime monitoring including audio, GPS, video, alarm triggers and IoT sensor data to provide a 360° view of remote sites. The free event will be on March 26 at 3pm GMT. Slots can be booked here.
Ground Control works with CNI operators worldwide, integrating satellite technology with secure data routing and management solutions to enhance reliability and security. The business employs 120 employees, has a 36.5million USD annual turnover, and services circa 4500 customers, across 120 countries.
To read the full survey report, please click here.
