Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: An Invitation to Cyber Risks

Rising Cybersecurity Threats in the Digital Transformation of Manufacturing

The world of manufacturing has increasingly fallen prey to cybercriminals. An alarming surge in cyber attacks is coinciding with substantial supply chain bottlenecks, leaving manufacturers more vulnerable than ever. With these persistent threats, it has become of paramount importance to enforce rigorous cybersecurity measures throughout the supply chain to maintain operational agility and resilience.

Within just one year, there has been a shocking 300% rise in cyber attacks on manufacturers, representing 22% of all cyber attacks across various sectors. Consequently, manufacturers have jumped from being the fifth most targeted sector to the second, as per PwC’s 2022 Global CEO Survey. The survey also reported that nearly half of the CEOs view cyber threats as the top threat to their business growth.

Several factors have converged to trigger this surge in cyber attacks. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these vulnerabilities as businesses rapidly adopted digital solutions such as cloud technologies, client portals, and mobile and web-based applications. The shift to remote work and touch-free environments accelerated digital transformation, which necessitated vigilant monitoring and updating of these technologies. Additionally, large manufacturing firms face the uphill task of enforcing and maintaining extensive cybersecurity programs and protocols across their vast facilities and complex supplier networks, both domestically and globally. A network penetration test, which identifies an organization’s security loopholes and offers strategic recommendations for bolstering overall security, proves beneficial in tackling these challenges.

While large corporations have the required resources to establish and train dedicated in-house cybersecurity teams to combat today’s cyber threats, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle due to limited resources. To assist SMEs, DataGuard will be hosting a live webinar that will provide insights into cost-effective tools and applications that can help fortify your organization against cybersecurity risks.

Register here: The Role of Digital Transformation in Manufacturing Cybersecurity

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