FINAL WORD a significant payload of sensors and devices for recording information from warehouses or shopfloors as they carry out other tasks . They can enable an
Fady Younes , Managing
Director Cybersecurity , Cisco Middle East , Africa , Türkiye , Romania and CIS evergreen digital twin as they operate in all weather and at all times of the day .
A customised LLM technology layer can use that high-quality live dataset to recommend unique business-specific growth , operations approaches and emissions strategies , providing industrial enterprises with a secret sauce that puts them at a competitive advantage .
Evolution of ransomware
December 2024 marks the 35th anniversary of ransomware and 20 years since modern criminal ransomware first emerged . Over these decades , ransomware has transformed from basic attacks to complex global crimes .
The Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Index for 2024 reveals that 65 % of UAE organisations experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year , while 85 % believe that a security incident is likely to disrupt their business in the next 12 to 24 months .
Ransomware began in December 1989 with the AIDS Trojan , which encrypted file names and demanded payment via floppy disks . Its impact was limited due to technological constraints . By 1996 , researchers predicted cryptoviruses that would use encryption for extortion , highlighting the importance of robust antivirus protection and regular data backups .
The first major ransomware attack , GPCode , appeared in 2004 , targeting Russian users through malicious email attachments . Initially using weak encryption , attackers soon adopted secure public-key encryption , complicating decryption . Collecting payments was a challenge , as methods like bank transfers risked revealing attacker identities .
The advent of virtual currencies addressed this issue , enabling anonymous transactions . Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin allowed attackers to securely and anonymously collect payments . CryptoLocker , launched in 2013 , was one of the first campaigns to successfully utilise Bitcoin , setting the stage for future operations .
High-profile incidents , such as WannaCry in 2017 , showcased ransomware ’ s destructive potential . WannaCry affected systems by encrypting files but was ineffective as a profit-making tool due to its inability to track payments . Similarly , 2017 ’ s NotPetya , designed to wipe data , acted as destructive malware rather than true ransomware .
Ransomware ’ s impact extends beyond financial losses , disrupting essential services and causing operational chaos . IT teams work under intense pressure to restore systems , risking burnout . For businesses , reputational damage and compliance penalties add to the long-term costs . These consequences highlight ransomware ’ s far-reaching effects .
The IT landscape has changed significantly since ransomware ’ s inception . Enhanced software engineering and faster patching cycles have reduced vulnerabilities . However , human error remains a major entry point , with password breaches and phishing used as prevalent attack vectors .
The most effective defence remains robust offline backups , allowing data restoration without ransom payments . However , the ongoing threat of ransomware underlines the failure to widely adopt effective backup strategies .
Similarly , when an early warning goes off , drones can be used as ‘ first responders ’ to gather critical information even in very remote areas , thus saving costs and improving worker safety .
The real promise of semi-automation lies in the way current and future technologies interconnect . When put to work together , they form a feedback loop where every component enhances the other , in a setting inspired by the industrial metaverse . Such an integration could eventually create the equivalent of an inhouse consultant that understands every single aspect of your business and can offer strategic guidance on future actions , complete with pros and cons .
We are several years – possibly decades – away from the industrial equivalent of HAL 9000 , but is it any wonder that an overwhelming majority , 71 % of senior executives agree industrial intelligence technologies are required now more than ever to remain competitive ?
In parallel , as developments such as Responsible AI become the foundational driving principles behind our evolving new tech toolkit , we will see intelligent systems consistently defer to humans on big-picture questions .
As we begin to feel the benefits of semi-automation , future technologies will assist with complex tasks , from analytics to optimisation , but they always work for humans . In common with the original steampowered industrial revolution , humans will always make the final decision . p
Whether drones , cobots , articulated arms , these machines are not here to replace workers but to augment their abilities , taking on repetitive tasks while driving productivity gains .
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