Manufacturing is much more vulnerable to cyber attacks than in the past. More data is collected, more of it is decentralized, and more cybercriminals are at work. There are also more third parties gaining access to factories and their data.
Human error is still number one
While movies might make us think that the average cyberattack is the a brilliantly devious hack by a cybercriminal mastermind, it’s actually still a lot more common for bad actors to get access through human error.
Using the same password for all accounts, writing a password on a Post-it note stuck on your computer, or just staying logged in when you leave a room — these are the easiest ways for cybercriminals to get access. Add phishing — sneaky ways of getting people to share access — and you’ve covered a lot of the attacks a manufacturer is likely to suffer.
A good rule of thumb: if your workers don’t complain that your security measures are inconvenient, you’re not buttoned up tight enough.
Third party access
63% of security breaches in manufacturing come from third party services. Manufacturers may have dozens of vendors with access to their networks. Ransomeware demands, for example, can stem from security breaches which are not directly under your control.
Avoid problems by identifying all the third parties with access to your network, as well as the points of access. See the notes on human error to cope with those points.
Perhaps more importantly, make sure that you are monitoring all access and changes taking place within your network. This makes it easier to track down the source of problems. Automation of this type of monitoring can be just as important as monitoring all the valves in your facility for potential breakdowns.
Meanwhile, if your Indramat systems need service and support, we can help. Call us for immediate assistance.