Cyber security is a concern for companies in all industries, including energy. Oil and gas companies, according to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, are at risk of hackers gaining access to information and technology used for drilling, fracking and building pipelines.

When multiple companies are involved, data is often shared between the companies, leaving them more vulnerable to hackers. Smaller companies are at risk, too, because executives may not know about cyber risks.

The newspaper states that energy companies are regularly the target of cyber attacks, and that the risk of a cyber attack is much greater than that of a physical attack. Some foreign countries and hackers may want to sabotage the U.S. economy by conducting a cyber attack.

In the past, hackers used a virus to destroy Iran’s uranium centrifuges. In another instance, computers at Saudi Arabia’s oil company were wiped out by hackers. Hackers also manipulate data and block information.

Via: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Use of multiple contractors could leave oil, gas operators open to hackers