Manufacturing

The Manufacturing IT Landscape

Keeping up with emerging technologies is as vital for the manufacturing industry as any other field. Manufacturers must adopt a technology infrastructure that supports automation, big data, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other advancements. Though these modern technologies help manufacturers gain an edge over the competition, they present opportunities for hackers to infiltrate the network and compromise sensitive data.

Virtually every manufacturer is at risk of a cyberattack. According to a study by Deloitte, 40% of manufacturers have been hacked in the last year. Cyberattacks result in a loss of intellectual property, customer data and money. Of these affected manufacturing companies, 38% experienced over $1 million in damages.

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Challenges the Manufacturing Industry Faces

Some of the cybersecurity challenges the manufacturing industry must contend with include:

• IIoT attacks: As IIoT revolutionizes the manufacturing industry, more manufacturers use IoT devices. Without proper security measures like encryption, these devices allow hackers to access your data since they connect to your internet and network. As manufacturers use more IoT devices, their attack vector increases in tandem.
• Phishing attacks: Phishing is a long-standing attack method that is still effective today. It’s especially prevalent in the manufacturing industry — phishing is the most common cause of cyberattacks against manufacturers. Employees who cannot recognize a phishing email may inadvertently download malware onto company computers, allowing hackers to access your network.
• Supply chain breaches: Many manufacturers have complex supply chains, leading to more breach points. Manufacturing companies must protect their intellectual property as it moves along the supply chain. Otherwise, this data is vulnerable to lateral attacks.
• Intellectual property theft: Manufacturing companies have proprietary processes and products essential to their competitive edge. This data must be kept confidential to prevent competitors from accessing it. Some cyberattacks against manufacturers steal intellectual property, which can be detrimental to the company’s future.