In our ever-advancing technological world, cybersecurity has become of utmost importance for manufacturers. Hackers have become notorious for breaching single individuals’ data. However, trailing not so far behind is the manufacturing industry.
Cyberattack dangers in manufacturing
The second-ever manufacturing cyberattack that caused significant damage occurred in 2015 when hackers attacked a steel mill in Germany. Since then, the attacks have shown no sign of letting up. Manufacturing company leaders should be very keen when setting up their cybersecurity systems to ensure they keep all data safe.
A September 2017 study revealed that industries fall within the top three most susceptible targets when it comes to cyberattacks. Hackers hit Merck hard with a cyberattack early this year, costing the company $135 million in sales revenue loss. This suggests now is as good a time as any to invest in manufacturing security.
In America alone, approximately 12 million work in manufacturing. While the number of employees has decreased significantly since the 1960s, output has continued to increase. This is due to manufacturers increasingly using mechanical tools. Because of the increased use of robotic-simulated workers, companies are becoming more at risk to cyberattacks every day.
Something as simple as a hacker infiltrating a company’s robotics could change machine configurations and cause them to go off by just a couple of centimeters. This could cause production issues resulting in physical damage as well as recalls. On its own, an attack like this could hit a company’s finances significantly in a very short amount of time.
3 tips to avoiding cyberattacks
To make sure your company is safe from cyberhacking threats, it’s imperative you take the proper procedures to ensure you don’t leave any holes open.
- Upgrade cybersecurity.
Some companies have limited cybersecurity — and some don’t have it at all. Investing in protecting your company from these attacks is important now more than ever. The cost of spending on a high level of cybersecurity in many cases in nothing compared to the losses a company can take if an attack occurs. - Stay vigilant and prepared.
Keeping up-to-date with safety protocols as well as keeping your team informed on the dangers is vital. You must ensure your monitoring procedures are top priority among IT department and executive leaders. Your team can stop increased security threats in advance if they have a contingency plan prepped in the case of a breach. - View data as an asset.
Data, nowadays, holds just as much weight as physical products themselves. Understanding this and treating your data as such can help your team members develop a different company mindset toward protecting your work overall.
Utilizing these methods can protect you in the long run. However, with technology improving every day, it’s still crucial you focus on filling in any gaps hackers can slip through. Keeping every employee in your company informed can help prevent potential attacks. An employee simply losing her or his badge somewhere can be a security risk for the company. The proper training for employees on these risks can help in preventing any possible backdoor attacks.