Historically, critical manufacturing systems and data generally existed in isolated networks and security in manufacturing focused on the physical aspect of the business. Cyberattacks were infrequent and primarily conducted by state-sponsored actors. Even as technology advancements and interconnected supply chains expanded, cybersecurity best practices such as endpoint protection and strong authentication protocols were largely considered a “nice-to-have.”
This outdated perception lingered, despite a steady uptick in financially motivated cyberattacks over the past several years. Recent events, however, such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack make it clear that manufacturers sit firmly in cybercriminals’ crosshairs.
Moreover, attacks aren’t limited by geography or company size. The 2021 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index identified the manufacturing industry to be the second most attacked overall; a huge jump from eighth position the previous year. Only the finance industry experienced more cyberattacks. ...read more!
