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Risks

Information Security & Cybersecurity

Ransomware, denial of service attacks, loss of confidential data and theft of intellectual property are increasing threats.

Why your company could be at risk from cyber crime

The critical minerals and mining sector spend billions of dollars every year to identify potential new mining sites. Creating exploration data is very expensive and is key to any company’s growth prospects, which makes this data a lucrative target for cyber espionage.

Because the primary source of a mine’s value is its potential ore reserve, this data is often the target of cyber espionage, critically when an acquisition or merger is in the works. The aim of the cyber attackers is usually to devalue the mine and gain insider knowledge.

Why is the critical minerals industry targeted by cyber-criminals?
The critical minerals industry is a vital value chain for countries.
The critical materials are essential for infrastructure, construction, defence and electronics industries
There are financial motivations for cybercriminals and geopolitical motivations for state-based threat actors to interfere in Australia’s critical mineral industries.
What damage can cyber-criminals do?

Critical mineral businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks because of the sheer volume of data generated and used.
Hackers and cyber-crime groups pose grave threats. They can gain access to a computer network, often through third-party suppliers with weak security systems, and

disrupt or destroy global supply chains
steal significant amounts of data to gain a competitive advantage and/or create financial pressure on the market
take control of the industrial control system (ICS), mine safety systems, processing facilities, heavy machinery and/or IT environments
compromise systems to severely disrupt mining operations
jeopardise worker safety through attacks on underground ventilation systems, tailings dam monitoring systems or pipeline controlling systems.
Significant cyber threats and motivations

The secrets

The money

The cause

The damage

Figure 1 — Significant cyber threads against the mining industry (PWC, 2021)

How are critical minerals companies vulnerable?

Critical minerals companies are vulnerable to information & cyber security threats via:

Business continuity
  • not being able to continue operations or trade due to a crisis or catastrophe
  • disruptions to supply chains
  • disruption to markets
  • trading halts
  • funding complications or difficulties.
Information/cyber security
  • loss of confidential data and theft of intellectual property (IP)
  • Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
  • blackmail
  • ransomware and malware
  • disruption to operational systems.
Asset management
  • physical assets
  • financial assets
  • human assets
  • information assets
  • intangible assets.
Case Studies
Explore three hypothetical case studies to appreciate the risks and repercussions of cybercrime on critical minerals companies.

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What steps can I take to reduce risks?

02

Benefits of standards in
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Mining companies experience many benefits from adopting international management standards.

03

Solutions via standards in
Information Security & Cyber Security

Information security management systems protect the information assets of businesses from global threats.

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Benefits of Standards in Information Security & Cyber Security