Cybersecurity is comprised of risk management approaches, technologies, and best practices that protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attacks or unauthorized access. Manufacturing businesses need cybersecurity to protect against attacks that could lead to production disruption, supply chain problems, customer dissatisfaction, and other negative business outcomes.
A successful attack on a manufacturing company can lead to costly downtime, product quality issues, regulatory fines, and even safety incidents. Increasing cybersecurity in manufacturing is an important business goal.
1. Increased Productivity
The manufacturing industry is a key driver of economic growth, creating high-paying jobs that support families and communities. However, the industry faces a number of unique cybersecurity challenges. The industry’s complex networks of legacy systems and long supply chains make it a target for cybercriminals looking to profit from data breaches or disrupt production.
Manufacturers need to invest in new cybersecurity technologies to protect their systems and assets. This includes implementing edge microsegmentation to secure legacy devices, prevent lateral movement, and reduce the attack surface. Additionally, manufacturers need to develop backup plans to isolate incidents and minimize disruptions in the supply chain.
Many cyberattacks start with a simple phishing email that gets employees to unknowingly download malware or click on suspicious links. This can lead to a data breach that can cause a ripple effect across the entire business, resulting in lost productivity and revenue. It also opens the door to intellectual property theft, which can give competitors a competitive advantage.
While investments into operational technology (OT) security have traditionally lagged behind IT, it’s now more important than ever that manufacturers enable strong cybersecurity safeguards. This is especially true since the IT and OT worlds are converging. The industrial control systems used in manufacturing are highly complex, and they are often built to last decades, with limited software and firmware updates. This long technology life cycle leaves many systems susceptible to unpatched vulnerabilities.
Ransomware attacks are another serious risk for manufacturers, as they can lock down critical systems and block access to production data. This can lead to a loss of productivity, which can have long-term effects on the manufacturing industry’s financial health and reputation. JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, was hit with a ransomware attack in 2021, and it was forced to close plants around the globe until it received a decryption key.
Effective cybersecurity is a critical requirement for manufacturers that needs to be implemented across the whole business, from the front office to the factory floor. Companies need to identify their top concerns, invest in solutions that fit their needs, and take action now. They can avoid a cyberattack’s financial, regulatory, and reputational consequences by following best practices and developing a robust security infrastructure that they can grow with as their needs evolve.
2. Increased Customer Satisfaction
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting Internet-connected systems and devices from cyberattacks. This includes defending against ransomware, phishing, data breaches, and more. It is essential to business operations, as attacks can result in lost productivity, revenue, and reputational damage. In the manufacturing industry, cybersecurity helps to reduce the risk of production delays, lost inventory, and lost profits.
Cyberattacks in manufacturing are becoming more common as the industry becomes increasingly digitized. In fact, manufacturing companies are the second-most targeted by cyberattackers after healthcare. This is partly due to the large amount of valuable information that manufacturers store, including intellectual property and customer data.
Another reason that the manufacturing industry attracts cybercriminals is its long supply chains. Attacks on a single company can disrupt the entire supply chain, causing major losses and disruptions. Moreover, the fragmented security that is typical of most manufacturing firms makes it easier for attackers to gain access to their targets.
As the manufacturing industry moves toward Industry 4.0, the need for effective cybersecurity solutions is more critical than ever. The influx of new technologies like robotics, IoT devices, and ML (machine learning) increases the number of potential endpoints for hackers to exploit. Additionally, these new technologies are often incompatible with most manufacturers’ existing IT systems. This creates a challenge for companies that must implement a cybersecurity strategy combining digital and physical assets.
Manufacturers must also consider the risks of a breach if they plan to sell products to customers. A cyberattack may lead to a data breach, which can lead to a loss of trust in the brand and a reduction in sales. In addition, a breach could lead to fines and other penalties from government agencies.
The good news is that many ways to prevent a cybersecurity attack exist. By following the best practices, manufacturers can ensure that they are protected from data breaches, phishing attacks, and other threats. They can also train their staff to recognize phishing emails that may appear legitimate but are actually designed to steal sensitive information.
3. Increased Reputation
Manufacturing is at the heart of our global economy. It contributes to job creation, technological advancement, infrastructure development, and international trade. But with the rise of digital transformation, the manufacturing industry has also seen an increase in cyberattacks. This is due to the increased connectivity of industrial automation services and systems, including smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT).
As more manufacturers adopt this new technology, they must balance its benefits with its risks. They must ensure that security and operations teams collaborate to prioritize, integrate, and document security practices for IT and OT environments. This will help maintain business continuity, minimize disruptions, and prevent revenue losses caused by downtime or data breaches.
In addition, manufacturing firms are often subject to long supply chains that offer cybercriminals more ways to access their systems and cause damage. Combined with the fact that manufacturing is one of the top ten target industries for cyberattacks, this makes it especially important for manufacturing companies to take a proactive approach to protecting their cybersecurity.
Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with hackers using a variety of tactics to gain unauthorized access to a company’s systems and steal valuable information. Whether for espionage or ransomware, these attacks can have serious repercussions for a manufacturer’s reputation and financial health.
Manufacturers must implement a comprehensive cyber security strategy that includes IT and OT security. This will allow them to continue leveraging the benefits of smart technology without worsening their exposure to cyberattacks.
While the manufacturing industry has many advantages, it is important to remember that a single breach can have devastating consequences for both its reputation and its bottom line. This is why it is crucial for the industry to invest in effective cybersecurity measures and protect its customers, employees, partners, and suppliers.
Caliber’s Real-Time Tracker empowers manufacturers to continuously monitor stakeholders’ perceptions of their brand, products, and services to identify and address issues before they become a crisis. This helps companies avoid significant commercial and reputational damage and win a competitive advantage by understanding and acting on stakeholder expectations in real-time.
4. Reduced Risk of Cyber Attacks
While they may not deal with customer data to the same extent as businesses in the financial sector or the sensitive information of healthcare organizations, manufacturing businesses must ensure that their systems and infrastructure are secure. This is especially important as the industry shifts to approaches like Industry 4.0, which involves automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) ‘Smart’ devices. These devices can provide threat actors with entry points into the network, potentially exposing both proprietary and customer information.
Cyberattacks can take many forms, from phishing scams and ransomware attacks to data breaches and identity theft. They can also cause significant disruption to business operations and lead to costly production delays and revenue loss. As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated and malicious, the need for robust cybersecurity protection in all industries becomes even more urgent.
The good news is that implementing the right cyber tools and taking steps to educate employees can significantly reduce the risk of a cyberattack in the manufacturing sector. This includes training staff to recognize and respond to phishing attempts, safe web surfing practices, and physical device management. It also means enforcing strong password protection and backup processes.
Cyberattackers are constantly finding new ways to target the manufacturing sector, which is why it’s important for companies in this industry to prioritize cybersecurity. This will help to protect their networks, data, and hardware from attack and avert costly disruptions.
Manufacturers also face specific risks from malicious insider threats. These are attacks that are perpetrated by employees or contractors who have access to the company’s systems. They could be instigated by competitors or rival companies, be motivated by espionage, or be designed to disrupt operations.
Manufacturers’ systems typically don’t contain the same types of personal information that are often stored in other sectors, so cybercriminals tend to focus on stealing money and causing disruption. For example, a cyberattack against an industrial control system could result in a delay in production or even damage to machinery. Attacks against these types of systems can be particularly damaging because they can affect critical infrastructure, so effective security is essential.