Top 5 IT Security Issues which Affect Manufacturing Firms

IT security is a concern for every business in 2019, no matter the industry.

Manufacturing firms are no exception, especially as increasing number of manufacturing processes are automated and proprietary. Cyber criminals find manufacturing companies an attractive target. In fact, a recent 2018 Kaspersky Lab study cited that these types of companies account for a 33% of the cyber attacks and hacks.

If you have responsibility for IT security for your manufacturing company, here are the top 5 concerns others in your industry share. By implementing a plan to address these issues, you can go a long way towards protecting your business, productivity and profits.

Top 5 IT Security Concerns – Manufacturing Firms

1. Internet Outages: The internet has been an integral piece of business process for so long, it can be regarded as another utility. However, there are no real safeguards in place to prepare for a widespread internet outage. If terrestrial phone lines fail, people can utilize cell phones.

   If the power goes out, many large companies have generators to sustain operations. However, if the internet goes down – whether from a technical failure or a premeditated attack – there is no real replacement.

   As both cyber crime and global tension seem to be on the rise, a manufacturing firm needs to address how to continue should they lose access to internet support.

2. Ransomware: Cyber crime statistics show an alarming rise in ransomware — a malicious cyber attack which encrypts the victim’s data and “holds the data hostage” until a payment is received. Only after the ransom is paid will the victimized company receive the encryption key and regain access to their systems and data.

   The FBI estimated that ransomware attacks generated $1 billion dollars in 2016, and that number is rising. According to a report released by Symantec last year, the average ransom demand has more than doubled in the last three years.

3. Cyber Attacks on Products: While there has been ongoing concern as to how a cyber criminal can shut down manufacturing firms by crippling their automated systems, a new problem has emerged. From cell phones to medical devices and railway cars, embedded smart devices provide countless ways for cyber criminals to harm not only the manufacturing firms, but the consumers of their products.
4. Pressure on IT Insiders: Increasingly we are seeing bad actors try to influence company insiders to divulge critical information, or permit unauthorized access to data. They can either utilize “positive reinforcement”, such a large financial payouts, or negative methods such as threats or blackmail.

   Although a culture of trust is important in manufacturing firms, and you’d like to think the best of your employees, it is becoming mandatory that sophisticated measures are in place both to protect your employees, and to safeguard the firm against espionage type activities.

5. Misinformation Overload: It is becoming easier every day to push out false information through outlets which appear legitimate. From advanced AI “bots” which closely mimic human interaction, to blatant attempts to smear a company through erroneous data, manufacturing firms must be vigilant in monitoring the public sphere.

Protecting company data, customer information and manufacturing processes at the highest levels is the best way to refute false claims. The world in 2019 is a challenging place for manufacturing firms. However, this environment also presents incredible opportunity for those who capitalize on the available technology.

Consulting with a managed services firm like Alliance IT to set up strong security measures, password protocols, and cyber crime prevention is a proactive way to protect yourself – both now and as new threats emerge.