EDITOR’ S QUESTION

HOW CAN CYBERSECURITY IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR BE STRENGTHENED TO PROTECT CRITICAL SYSTEMS FROM EMERGING THREATS WHILE MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY?

OT has created new attack surfaces that require a fresh approach to security.

A proactive cybersecurity strategy must balance risk mitigation with operational continuity. This means implementing a zero-trust architecture, segmenting networks to prevent lateral movement of threats and deploying real-time threat detection to identify and respond to incidents before they escalate. It also involves embracing AI-driven security solutions that can analyse vast amounts of data to detect anomalies and predict potential breaches.

However, as manufacturing environments become more connected, they also become more vulnerable to cyberthreats. From ransomware attacks targeting industrial control systems to state-sponsored espionage aimed at stealing intellectual property, cybercriminals are increasingly setting their sights on this critical industry.

For CIOs and CISOs operating in manufacturing, the challenge is twofold: they must fortify their cybersecurity defences while ensuring that security measures do not disrupt production processes. Unlike traditional IT environments, manufacturing systems rely on operational technology( OT), which is often outdated, lacks built-in security features and cannot be easily patched or updated. The convergence of IT and

Collaboration across teams is also key. Security leaders must work closely with operations and engineering teams to embed security into manufacturing processes without causing disruption. Regular cybersecurity training for employees, from factory floor workers to senior management, is essential in fostering a security-first culture.

As regulations around industrial cybersecurity tighten, CIOs and CISOs must also ensure compliance with industry standards such as the NIS2 Directive and IEC 62443. Investing in robust incident response plans and cyber-resilience frameworks will further safeguard critical manufacturing systems.

This article explores how to navigate the evolving threat landscape, implement effective security strategies and leverage cutting-edge technologies to protect organisations – ensuring that innovation and security go hand in hand in the era of smart manufacturing.

ANDREW LINTELL, GENERAL MANAGER EMEA, CLAROTY

As manufacturers embrace automation and smart technologies to drive efficiency, they’ re also creating new vulnerabilities for actors to exploit. Therefore, organisations must strike the balance of increasing efficiency whilst ensuring that cybersecurity doesn’ t slip.

One of the biggest issues in manufacturing is that many OT systems which are used were designed decades ago and lack the security capabilities for today’ s threats. Patching these legacy systems is costly so often goes ignored. As well as this, many cyber physical systems( CPSs) rely on proprietary protocols that don’ t work well with traditional IT security tools. That means getting a clear picture of all the assets in an OT environment can be challenging. Security teams need visibility into all as well as solutions tailored to OT environments.

Another concern is remote access. In manufacturing, this is essential to keep operations running smoothly, but the methods most commonly used, like VPNs and jump servers, come with their own risks. Shared

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