Revised date: 8/27/25
Automation and the integration of internet-of-things (IoT) devices and other cyber-physical systems (CPS) throughout processing, production, packaging, and other essential operations are revolutionizing manufacturing. They have even given rise to smart factories, which are characterized by advanced technologies such as machine learning, digital twins, and augmented reality that can help efficiently automate manufacturing processes.
With these advancements, the manufacturing sector is now more connected than ever before—which is also why manufacturing cybersecurity is critical. Previously isolated equipment, such as human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are increasingly being brought online, offering massive technological upside to the sector. Real-time data monitoring and cloud connectivity are among them, which increase efficiency and system uptime, and reduce the need for costly on-site visits.
However, this newfound connectivity is not without its risks. Connecting manufacturing devices and equipment to enterprise networks can expose them to cyberattacks such as ransomware, brute-force, or man-in-the-middle attacks. This creates a litany of challenges for CISOs to contend with as they ramp up manufacturing cybersecurity strategies.
What Are Manufacturing Cybersecurity Challenges?
As connectivity increases, the manufacturing sector has been an increasingly favorite target for threat actors looking to cause havoc, which as of 2024 resulted in losses from the cost of a data breach to an industrial organization at roughly $5.5 million.
Here are some of the common challenges the sector faces when it comes to cybersecurity.
Legacy system vulnerabilities
Many of the OT assets that manufacturers rely on today were implemented decades ago — long before internet connectivity was standard in OT environments. No connectivity meant that these assets initially had no exposure to cyber risks and no need for cybersecurity controls.
Patching this legacy equipment requires extensive downtime, which can disrupt daily operations and have a heavy impact on the bottom line.
As a result, it remains commonplace for even the most successful manufacturers’ OT environments to be rife with unpatched legacy systems containing vulnerabilities that cyber threat actors can easily exploit.
Inadequate security tools
Many of the remote access tools commonly used within the manufacturing sector are designed for IT-specific environments, and not built for the unique nuances and proprietary protocols of OT. Solutions such as VPNs, for example, often provide broad access to an entire OT subnet and don’t enforce policies such as granular access controls—creating a potentially major security risk.
These compatibility issues also extend to standard inventory and asset management solutions, which is largely why simply discovering — much less protecting — the CPS comprising their OT environment is a key industrial cybersecurity challenge for manufacturers.
The ‘trusted vendor’ problem
To expand on the point above, much of OT remote access is granted to third-party vendors, including contractors, suppliers, or equipment vendors. Third parties have often introduced remote access solutions that are not enterprise grade, and do not have the necessary monitoring and auditing capabilities of an OT-specific remote access tool.
If a third-party vendor’s network is compromised, attackers can use the trusted remote access credentials to gain direct, undetected access to an entire manufacturing plant’s OT network.
Supply chain attacks
Since most manufacturers are part of complex supply chains, a cyberattack on one company within the supply chain can have a devastating ripple effect, potentially impacting other manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.
What’s more, the affected company can suffer catastrophic consequences of one supply chain attack. Take the 2024 attack on German battery manufacturer VARTA, for example: One cyber incident—reported to be ransomware—halted production at five of the company’s plants worldwide. It took the company weeks to resume normal operations.
The rise of AI-powered attacks
Attackers are becoming increasingly adept at using artificial intelligence (AI) to aid their capabilities. These can range from sophisticated malware or ransomware attacks; in some cases, the malware can even rewrite itself and adapt to avoid detection. Highly skilled attackers can even mimic company personnel in “deep fake” efforts that are designed to be especially convincing in order to gain access through phishing or other attempts to leverage stolen credentials.
All of this puts extra pressure on CISOs in manufacturing to adopt AI-powered defenses that can keep up with the evolving threats faced by the sector.
Key Principles for Securing OT Environments in Manufacturing
In a threat landscape as dangerous as what manufacturing is facing, it’s imperative that CISOs in the space establish an airtight security strategy. While the nuances of OT environments make this a complex task, there are some core frameworks your organization can implement to get started.
Gain visibility of all OT assets
You can’t protect what you can’t see. A comprehensive inventory of all devices within your OT environment is essential to being able to defend them against cyber attacks. From there, you can start to understand how these devices communicate, what protocols they’re using, and how to best protect them.
Prioritize CPS exposure management
Once you’ve gained the ability to see all network assets, it’s important to know which devices to prioritize for protection. Understanding your level of risk for such devices is crucial, as well as any possible entry points, attack vectors, and the business impact if a device is compromised.
Regularly update IoT devices and firmware
Since IoT devices don’t always come equipped with built-in security measures, they’re often a favorite attack vector for threat actors. This means it’s in the organization’s hands to keep these devices updated with the latest firmware, which helps mitigate the risk of exploitation. Manufacturing organizations should also integrate IoT devices into their existing infrastructure to ensure they’re continuously monitored for any suspicious activity.
Implement network segmentation
Attackers can often move laterally through a network after breaching a single entry point. For OT networks, this can be especially disastrous. The way to stay ahead of this is to segment your enterprise network into separate zones. This creates additional barriers between network areas, offering an extra layer of critical protection that helps keep devices unaffected in the event of a breach.
How Claroty Can Protect the Manufacturing Sector
As OT environments continue to be preyed upon by malicious threat actors, organizations have to stay one step ahead. Having a proactive cybersecurity strategy in place is nothing short of critical, and it’s just as important to have the right partner on your side.
With industry-leading network protection, threat detection, and exposure management capabilities, the Claroty Platform is positioned to help the world’s leading critical infrastructure organizations defend against a threat landscape that continues to wreak havoc. The Claroty Platform is purpose-built for CPS and OT environments where IT-centric solutions fall short.
Schedule a demo with one of our experts to learn more.
