Embedded systems, such as ATMs, payment terminals, and medical devices, are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals due to their direct access to sensitive financial and personal data and often inadequate security measures. These devices typically run on legacy hardware and operating systems that are no longer supported, such as Windows 10 without TPM modules or various embedded Linux distributions, making them vulnerable to exploitation. Kaspersky Embedded Systems Security (KESS) addresses these challenges with a specialized security suite optimized for resource-constrained embedded environments. The recent update enhances Windows protection by introducing a behavioral analysis engine that supports Automatic Exploit Prevention, advanced Anti-Cryptor ransomware defenses, and a Remediation Engine capable of rolling back malicious changes. It also adds BadUSB Attack Prevention to mitigate risks from malicious USB devices mimicking legitimate peripherals, a critical feature for physically exposed embedded devices. A firewall component allows administrators to restrict network access strictly to necessary applications, reducing attack surfaces and preventing command-and-control communications. For Linux-based embedded systems, KESS now features a certificate-based application allowlist system, simplifying secure updates without full system redeployment, and Web Threat Protection to defend against web-based attacks in scenarios where embedded devices access internal web services. Future plans include integrating BadUSB prevention for Linux, ARM architecture support, and Managed Detection and Response (MDR) compatibility, enhancing detection and response capabilities. These advancements reflect the evolving threat landscape targeting embedded systems and the need for dedicated, adaptive security solutions.

European organizations utilizing embedded systems in critical sectors such as banking (ATMs, payment systems), healthcare (medical devices), and retail (point-of-sale terminals) face heightened risks from exploitation of these devices. Compromise can lead to direct financial theft, unauthorized data access including personal health information, ransomware-induced operational disruptions, and use of embedded devices as footholds for broader network attacks. The physical exposure of many embedded devices, especially in remote or public locations, increases the risk of BadUSB and similar hardware-based attacks. Legacy embedded systems running unsupported OS versions exacerbate vulnerability due to lack of vendor patches. Disruption or data breaches in these sectors can have severe regulatory, financial, and reputational consequences under European data protection laws such as GDPR. Additionally, the inability to upgrade hardware or OS easily means organizations must rely on robust, specialized security solutions to maintain protection. Failure to secure embedded systems could also impact critical infrastructure resilience, making these threats a national security concern in several European countries.

European organizations should deploy specialized embedded system security solutions like Kaspersky Embedded Systems Security that provide behavioral analysis, exploit prevention, and remediation tailored for resource-constrained devices. Implement BadUSB attack prevention especially for physically exposed devices to block malicious USB peripherals. Enforce strict network segmentation and use application-level firewalls to restrict embedded device communications to only necessary services, minimizing attack surfaces. Integrate embedded device security monitoring with corporate SIEM and MDR services to enable early detection and rapid response to threats. Utilize certificate-based application allowlisting on Linux embedded devices to securely manage software updates without full system redeployment. Regularly audit embedded device configurations using security status indicators to ensure all protection layers are active. Plan for phased hardware upgrades where feasible to support modern OS and security features like TPM. Train staff on physical security best practices for embedded devices in remote or public locations. Collaborate with vendors to stay informed on product updates and emerging threats specific to embedded systems. Finally, develop incident response plans that include embedded device compromise scenarios.