Smart manufacturing driven by IoT, data analytics and interconnected systems brings huge efficiency gains. But increased reliance on vulnerable technologies drastically expands cyber risk exposure. To reap the full benefits, manufacturers must make cybersecurity an integrated business priority beyond basic compliance.
This article examines the escalating threats introduced by greater connectivity and why manufacturers need balanced protections embracing both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) across modern and legacy environments. The right strategy and culture allows manufacturers to tap into innovation while managing new risks.
Table of Contents
Expanded Potential Attack Surfaces
By interconnecting previously isolated production systems and adding connected sensors, cameras and remote access, smart manufacturing introduces many new potential attack entry points including:
- Business and manufacturing networks converging with some legacy OT lacking modern security controls
- Remote device access relying on inherently vulnerable internet connectivity
- Increased third-party integration with equipment vendors, analytics providers and maintenance contractors leading to porous boundaries
Without comprehensive asset management and network segmentation practices in place, diverse connected systems remain largely invisible — and vulnerable to attacks spreading between IT and OT infrastructure.
Soaring Value of Stolen Data and Disruption
Beyond typical data theft of intellectual property, proprietary production techniques or sensitive customer records, disruptive attacks directly impact manufacturing operations through:
- Shutting down production scheduling, warehouse logistics and inventory systems via ransomware, DDoS attacks or sabotage
- Manipulation and physical destruction of equipment through compromised industrial control systems
- Theft of IoT sensor data to manipulate markets or production outputs
- Diversion of manufacturing supplies or goods relying on IoT tracking
With human safety also at risk on some production floors, the stakes of manufacturing cyber incidents now exceed those of standard data breaches.
Need for Complete OT/IoT Visibility
While IT management practices have matured security around computing infrastructure, typical manufacturing environments prove highly complex:
- Lack of asset management and network segmentation result in enterprises being unaware of all connected devices, available ports and active communications on production floors
- OT network activity monitoring lags IT standards necessary for behavioral anomaly detection
- Limited visibility prevents response with threat hunting teams finding dwell times over 6 months in which bad actors infiltrate, spy and modify OT undetected over long periods
This enormous gap between vulnerable connected devices and security oversight represents massive risk of threats advancing unseen.
Moving Past Baseline Compliance to Operational Security
While regulations are incrementally evolving for manufacturing sectors, compliance minimums and audits remain inadequate to address real-world threats:
- Existing regulations struggle to keep pace with continuously evolving attacks exploiting new vulnerabilities
- Audits dictate policy and process more than technical protections
- Current frameworks lack tailored guidance on securing IoT and OT environments
Checking the compliance box only validates documented policies over actual ability to defend against modern attacks and recover when incidents strike production.
Building a Collaborative Security Culture Across IT and OT
Finally, the different mentalities between IT and OT teams hinders unified protection. While IT oversees data security, confidentiality and governance, OT teams bear responsibility for reliability, safety and uptime.
With contradictory priorities, collaboration suffers. OT teams view added security controls as operating risk. And IT lacks visibility into operational contexts to dictate production floor mandates.
Executives play a key role in aligning groups behind shared cyber risk management visions that balance availability needs with layered controls reflecting true danger levels.
Key Takeaways for Securing Smart Manufacturing
In summary, while connectivity and data-rich production processes yield major efficiency gains, smart manufacturing significantly expands cyber risks requiring urgent attention to avoid business disruption.
Navigating the modern threat landscape requires manufacturers adopt balanced OT security fitting their unique operational environments — not just broad compliance mandates. Unifying previously disjointed IT and OT teams behind that mission proves essential to managing risk while optimizing production.
Cybersecurity can no longer be delegated solely to IT when production operations bear equal attack vulnerability and consequences. But with proper collaboration and upgrades, manufacturers can lead in safety and innovation.
FAQs
Begin with IT/OT asset inventories, network segmentation and monitoring for visibility. Establish policies and playbooks. Train cross-functional teams. Phase technical controls to balance protection with production risk levels.
Network segmentation, access controls, and endpoint hardening limit exposure. Monitoring, encryption, and timely patching establish baseline hygiene. Asset lifecycle management maintains visibility.
Because conflicting mindsets hinder collaboration, executives must align groups behind shared acknowledgment of risk levels and drive balanced mitigation allowing smart production innovation within measured security parameters.
