Destructive Cyberattacks Target Critical Infrastructures in the Americas

Nearly 50 percent of the systems that keep society operating were attacked

The three towers at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System are shown in operation on July 23, 2014 in the Mojave Desert in California near Primm, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Critical infrastructures are the systems that keep a country running. They’re the energy grids, the water supply, natural gas, and other areas needed to keep a functioning society and economy. In 2014, close to half of these systems in the Western hemisphere were hit by destructive cyberattacks.

Security company TrendMicro with the Organization of American States (OAS) released a new report that included 575 responses from all “major critical infrastructures in all countries in the Americas.”

It states that 44 percent of the respondents experienced destructive attacks on their networks, and 40 percent reported a system shutdown. The report adds, “Overall the majority of the organizations surveyed have experienced attempts to have their information stolen.”