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Energy | Customer Stories

Fortifying Mining Operations: How Secure USB Management Drives Safety and Sustainability

OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk Secures Critical Mining Operations from Peripheral and Removable Media-Borne Threats
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About the Company: This global mining leader operates across multiple continents, leveraging innovative OT-driven solutions to enhance productivity, safety, and sustainability. From smart drills and autonomous rigs to digital supply chain systems, the company’s operations are designed to minimize environmental impact and prioritize worker safety.

Their commitment to sustainability is reflected in their focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage while driving innovation in mining technologies.

What's the Story? As part of their modernization efforts, the mining company faced challenges in securing their OT environment, particularly in managing USB devices used for critical updates and data transfers. These devices posed significant security risks, potentially exposing the OT systems to malware or unauthorized files.

Key areas of focus included:

  • Drilling and Blasting: Smart drills and autonomous rigs improve precision and reduce energy use but require regular updates via USB devices.
  • Logistics: Digital supply chain systems provide visibility and collaboration across operations but depend on secure data flows to prevent disruptions.

To address these challenges, the company deployed OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk, ensuring that all USB updates into their OT environment are scanned and sanitized to prevent potential threats.

Due to the nature of the business, the name of the organization featured in this story has been kept anonymous in order to protect the integrity of their work.

INDUSTRY:

Mining

LOCATION:

Global

SIZE:

10,000+ Employees Worldwide

PRODUCTS USED:

MetaDefender Kiosk™

KEY TECHNOLOGIES:

Deep CDR™
MetaScan™ Multiscanning Proactive DLP™

Cyberthreats to OT Systems

OT systems like smart drills and autonomous rigs are critical to mining operations. If compromised, they can disrupt processes, create safety risks, and lead to costly downtime.

Infographic on cybersecurity risks impacting mining safety, logistics, and sustainability

MetaDefender Kiosk: Industrial Security Meets Multi-Engine Defense

To address these challenges, the mining company turned to OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk for its advanced security in scanning removable media and external devices, featuring capabilities built to withstand harsh and hazardous environments. This comprehensive cybersecurity tool ensures that all USB devices used in OT environments are scanned, sanitized, and authorized before integration.

Deep CDR

OPSWAT’s Deep CDR technology assumes that every file is a potential threat. It deconstructs files, removes malicious components, and rebuilds them into safe, functional formats.

Proactive DLP

By integrating Proactive DLP, the Kiosk not only sanitizes files to remove hidden threats but also ensures sensitive information remains secure.

MetaScan Multiscanning

Leveraging OPSWAT’s MetaScan Multiscanning technology, the solution uses up to 30 leading antivirus engines to provide robust protection against known and unknown threats.

Rugged Design

MetaDefender Kiosk is built to resist debris and withstand harsh industrial conditions, ensuring consistent mining operation without frequent maintenance or repairs.

Secure file processing technologies, including Deep CDR, Proactive DLP, and multiscan

The Results: Safety, Sustainability, and Efficiency

The deployment of OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk has transformed the company’s OT security framework, delivering tangible benefits across its operations.

Key advantages like enhanced safety, sustainability, logistics efficiency, and operational performance

OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk resolved the mining leader’s security challenges and delivered additional benefits.

Enhanced Safety

The company’s workforce can operate with confidence, knowing that their critical systems are protected from malware and unauthorized access.

Sustainability Gains

With secure smart drills and precision blasting systems, the company continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, aligning with global sustainability goals.

Streamlined Logistics

A secure and efficient digital supply chain ensures materials and products move seamlessly, minimizing delays and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders.

Operational Efficiency

Enhanced operational efficiency, reduced downtime, and enabled better decision-making for asset management and vulnerability patches.

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We have significantly reduced risk in our OT environment without compromising efficiency. Safety and reliability remain at the core of everything we do. With OPSWAT's advanced MetaDefender Kiosk, we can safeguard our data and ensure the integrity of our automated systems. This not only protects our personnel and assets but also drives sustainability by optimizing energy use and reducing emissions.

Cybersecurity Team Representative

Setting the Standard for Secure Mining Operations

This mining leader’s successful deployment of OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk showcases the importance of proactive cybersecurity in modern industrial operations. By protecting their OT environment, they’ve not only secured their infrastructure but also strengthened their commitment to sustainability and safety.

In an industry where downtime can cost millions, and safety is non-negotiable, ensuring secure operations is no longer optional—it’s essential. With the increasing volume of data, including sensitive information about production processes and equipment, safeguarding this information is paramount. Data breaches can disrupt operations and compromise safety

To learn more about how OPSWAT’s MetaDefender Kiosk can help your organization achieve unparalleled security and operational efficiency, reach out to an OPSWAT expert today.

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