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Securing the digital mine: Building cyber resilience in the modern mining industry

11/14/2025 · 5 minute read

The global mining sector stands at the heart of the global economy and is rapidly embracing digital transformation. New technologies – including remotely controlled systems, real-time analytics, and autonomous machinery – pave the way for increased efficiency and safer working conditions. However, this necessity for innovation has opened the floodgates to a host of new cyber exposures.

Regardless of the size or scale of operations, a mine is only as successful as it is secure. Modern mining organizations cannot afford to overlook cyber risks, as existing threats to critical infrastructure can compromise foundational technology and significantly threaten operations.

The cyber risk landscape in mining operations

If a cybercriminal gains unauthorized access to a mine’s foundational technology or machinery, the resulting breach can threaten employee safety, company security, finances, and reputation. Cyberattacks typically fall into two categories:

  1. Targeted attacks: Instances where cybercriminals intentionally target an organization with the goal of exploiting a known vulnerability.
  2. Untargeted or wide-area attacks: Situations where cybercriminals indiscriminately attack as many devices, services, or users as possible, without a specific target in mind.

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Exposures across the mining lifecycle
Cyber risk is prevalent across the entire mining lifecycle, from early exploration through to reclamation and marketing:
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Unauthorized access to valuable exploration data or intellectual property (IP), such as GIS systems or site acquisition data, can lead to a loss of competitive advantage or flawed decision-making. Manipulation of control systems for site preparation equipment can cause disruption and safety hazards.

Cyberattacks can target critical control systems for mining equipment (GPS, fleet management) or processing equipment (metallurgical accounting systems). Attacks like malware or ransomware can cause operational disruptions, production losses, and safety hazards.

Unauthorized access to and manipulation of control systems for transportation infrastructure can lead to accidents and delays. Similarly, unauthorized access to reclamation systems risks environmental damage and potential legal consequences.

Attacks targeting marketing and sales systems can lead to financial loss or competitive disadvantages due to unauthorized access to pricing, contract, and customer data.

Building a foundation for cyber resilience

The first step in mitigating cyber risk is identification and understanding. Resilient organizations must then go beyond merely recognizing exposures to proactively managing them. Proactivity is key – leaders must take initiative to mitigate cyber risks before, during, and after an incident.

Mining leaders can begin driving meaningful change by focusing on these core strategies:

Leaders must implement technical controls to protect foundational systems. Essential cyber hygiene measures include establishing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for remote and privileged access, using secured and tested backups (with regular restoration tests), and employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect threats early. Other crucial controls involve privileged access management (PAM), patch management, and protecting end-of-life (EOL) or legacy systems.

An effective cybersecurity strategy requires alignment and buy-in across all departments, not just risk management. Organizations must develop clear policies and procedures covering critical areas like access control, vendor management, and incident response to protect sensitive data and drive better adoption of cybersecurity standards.

Policies are only effective if all team members are educated about their role in managing cyber risk. Routine training helps employees understand best practices, strengthening the company's overall security posture and reducing the likelihood of attacks. Cybersecurity awareness training and phishing testing are crucial.

Security managers must be able to explain the financial devastation a cyber event can cause to key stakeholders. By accurately understanding the possible financial repercussions (e.g., through risk assessments or scenario evaluation), organizations are more inclined to allocate resources toward effective cybersecurity controls.

BLIND SPOTS ARE COSTLY

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Mining organizations are uniquely susceptible to cyber incidents. By focusing on prevention, preparation, and comprehensive controls, leaders can build robust cyber resilience.

However, the threat landscape is an intricate web of interconnected challenges. Unplanned disruptions – stemming from climate-related events, equipment failures, cyberattacks, geopolitical shocks, or people risks – can halt production and drive financial losses. Resourcing for tomorrow: Building resilience for mining companies highlights five crucial risk areas with the greatest implications for miners today.

To learn how to build resilience against climate events, equipment failures, cyberattacks, geopolitical shocks, and people risks and fully understand their interconnected exposures, download the complete guide.

Download the full report to master the 5 critical risks for modern mining resilience.

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