Cyber attacks are no longer just an IT issue for manufacturers. They are disrupting production lines, increasing costs and putting customer deliveries at risk. That’s according to the trade association Make UK’s report, Cyber Security in Manufacturing.
In a foreword, Chief Executive of Make UK Stephen Phipson writes: ” The cyber risk in manufacturing is akin to an iceberg. Industry can plan and mitigate the risks they see, but in reality the biggest threats can cause the most damage. It’s the vulnerabilities below the surface, in the systems, machinery and supply chains, that can catch businesses out. And that’s because manufacturing is distinctly at risk as digital systems are directly connected to physical production. Meaning that the risk doesn’t stay in the digital world for too long.”
According to the report: “Good cyber security is becoming a commercial necessity.” Preparedness, while improving, is still uneven. Most manufacturers are becoming more resilient: seven in ten (70pc) avoided cyber incidents that affected operations, but nearly one in three (30pc) still faced a serious incident directly or through their supply chain. Cyber resilience is now a commercial issue, given that near half, 46pc experienced increase of operational cost and production downtime. Customers increasingly want proof that manufacturers can protect data, keep production moving and avoid disruption. A cyber incident at one supplier can quickly affect others, causing delays, reduced capacity and shortages of components.
You can download the 18-page report at the Make UK website.
Comment
Dr Ric Derbyshire, Principal Security Researcher, Orange Cyberdefense, said: “The digital transformation of the manufacturing industry has widened attack surfaces significantly, thanks to IT / OT convergence. In many cases, IT systems remain the primary target of attacks, but since these systems are more integrated with the production line, OT often gets caught in the blast radius, and the fallout can cause disruption on a vast scale. And when cyber incidents affect production, recovery prioritises physical safety and process integrity first. That reality makes response slower, even when OT wasn’t the original target. These gaps in defensive capabilities show us that a more focused, more strategic response is required to close the doors on attackers.”
