Don’t let your fuel station data go into wrong hands!

• Cyberattackers Target Key Fuel-Distribution Firms in Europe
• Fuel distributor Mabanaft declares force majeure on supplies
• IT issues affecting terminals in European oil-trading hub
• 4,300 petrol stations targeted by cyber attacks in Iran

Heard these news headlines along with the most recent attacks on Medibank and a few Banks? Hackers are targeting gas stations in the most recent internet of things breach.

What can you do to avoid such attacks?  Interested in learning more? We are here to help.

 

Cybersecurity and Industrial Infrastructure

Industrial control systems (ICS), the technology used to operate many critical functions in industrial facilities and other industries, have specific security requirements.

For example, a gas station has all the attributes of an ICS: Connected equipment including pumps and tanks, controllers, a management system and a payment system, not to mention connection to the corporate network, third-party service systems and the internet. Just like any industrial facility, this example gas station has cybersecurity issues that companies also should consider to avoid disruptions that may affect the business, its employees and the general public. This example was illustrated in real life recently when gas stations in Iran were shut down because of a targeted attack.

At the fuel station

You’re on your way to work, and you need to fill up the tank. You stop at a gas station and put the dispenser in your vehicle’s tank. Then you pay for your fuel at the convenience store and return to your car.

The process of delivering fuel to your car involves several systems working together: The back-office system and point of sale system are used for payments and management functions. They are connected to the forecourt controller (FCC), which is the area with pumps outside the convenience store where customers park their cars to fill up. It is equipped with many systems, including pump control, an automatic tank gauge (ATG), payment systems, etc. The FCC is the main device that controls fuel distribution—so when you pay through a cashier, it commands the pump to supply gas to your car so you can continue your journey.

Information about operations and the amount of fuel sold and available is transmitted locally as well as central offices that accumulate information from all stations

Where are the problems?

As discussed, the gas station industry is one of the most vulnerable and under-secured sectors in the world. The following are some of the most common operational technologies (OT) and IT security issues that can affect the work of a gas station:

Remote access from external networks: The gas station employs solutions that are connected to public services through the internet. These include cloud banking systems or specialized fleet management systems. Remote access to the fuel station could allow further malicious actions to occur inside the network.

Fuel management software: Most gas stations used fuel management software to track the amount stored, set the price and process payments. The system was connected to the internet and had vulnerabilities that allowed remote administrator access—even allowing actors the ability to change the fuel price.

Third parties: There are also suppliers and service companies that have access to some parts of the fuel infrastructure. Compromising these third parties may open doors to the target system for attackers. In fact, this type of threat is of great concern for companies of any size profile: Almost one-third (32%) of large organizations suffered attacks involving data shared with suppliers.

  

What you can do to prevent this?

In the fuel industry, it may seem like there’s no end to the data that’s being collected. From fuel stations, to Wetstock facilities and distribution systems, companies are collecting data on everything they can—and they’re getting pretty good at it. But while this efficiency is great for business, it also makes safeguarding your data critical.

It’s important to take preventative measures to protect your Wetstock and fuel network from unauthorized access and potential data misuse. It’s also vital that you stay alert to the possible causes of fraud so you can avoid them in the first place.

A real time and accurate wetstock monitoring solution like Fuelsuite is key to preventing these risks to your business.

An advanced Wetstock monitoring solution might seem like an unnecessary hassle or expense at first glance, but it will save you money in the long run by protecting your business from costly and even damaging losses due to fraud, tampering or errors in data entry.

Reasons Why Fuelsuite®  Wetstock Management system is a class apart?

Security, Accuracy, and Reliability are our priorities. Fuelsuite® is a cloud-based remote Wetstock management solution that enables the connection of critical data sources in real-time, driving actionable insights using machine learning, IoT, and digital applications.

With Fuelsuite you can:

• Improve fuel system performance, enhance consumer satisfaction, identify and resolve fuel system losses, maintain and improve compliance, enhance logistics, improve asset maintenance, and more.
• Easily schedule various reports such as inventory, delivery, reconciliation and alarms, etc. Our 24/7 support service monitors your critical alarms in the background and escalates (if you choose)to your service contractor to attend and resolve.
• Compare settings and check your programming status and security on a daily basis. Whether you operate 25 or 1,000 retail or commercial fueling facilities, Fuelsuite has your Fuel Risk Management, Fuel Operations and Fuel Asset Management covered.
• Manage as if you were actually on site. You control who gets what…and when.
• Using a cloud-based remote Wetstock Management Solution like Fuelsuite®, you can easily schedule various reports as required by your business.

 Want to improve your leak detection and fuel management practices?

Schedule a 30-minute demo to learn how Fuelsuite can help your business. During the demo we will:

• Understand your vision for addressing the challenges you face today managing fuel, environmental, and facility operations
• Discuss the benefits of using a comprehensive SaaS platform like Fuelsuite
• Demonstrate how the Fuelsuite platform, is tailored to your specific needs

To learn how you can find your own combo of data, analytics, and more to finally spot and stop fuel theft, download our Fuelsuite ebook.  Stay tuned for our next article in the new year. Contact us for more info.

We take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas Holidays and A Happy New year. See you in 2023!