Incidents like these emphasize the need for industrial operators to invest in securing their infrastructure

It has been discovered by cyber security experts that hackers are using a new type of malware to target industrial control systems which is forcing operations to shut down. Cybersecurity firm FireEye has named this malware "Triton".

Travis Smith, principal security researcher at Tripwire, said: "The fact that operations were shut down, whether that was the primary intent or not, shows the real physical impact these cyber threats can have on critical infrastructure. Industry experts have warned about these threats for some time now, so incidents like these emphasize the need for industrial operators to invest in securing their infrastructure.

"Critical infrastructure still suffers from a general lack of foundational security controls. There was a time when industrial control systems could be protected by physical security measures. Internet connectivity changed the whole security landscape and operators must address the new cyber risks, such as misconfigured devices and unpatched vulnerabilities. With the potential impact so great, we need to take action before something terrible happens."