If manufacturing companies have learned anything about cybersecurity in recent years, it’s the increasing threats to their businesses. For example, NTT reported that the number of cyberattacks on manufacturers spiked by more than 300% in 2020, making up 22% of all attacks across all sectors. In 2023, manufacturing remained in their Top 5 most-attacked sectors.
So, what can you do to prevent your manufacturing company from becoming a statistic now or in the future?
The answer lies in building a culture of security in the manufacturing industry, and it’s long overdue.
Protecting Manufacturing Companies
The threat to manufacturing companies has grown so much that The World Economic Forum announced a multi-stakeholder community in 2023 to strengthen the industry’s resilience against cyber-attacks. They see an urgent need for a cohesive approach to enhance cyber resilience. This means there’s room for developing a cohesive cybersecurity culture to create a “gold standard” for manufacturing companies.
As with any attempt to align culture with technology, holistic integration of people, processes, and technology is necessary. This includes adapting to new communication environments, customized strategies, and governance. Since threats evolve, ongoing user adoption and training will also be needed to foster a cybersecurity culture.
Here are some of the pillars you can use to build a cyber security culture in your manufacturing company.
Protecting the Lifeblood of Your Business: Sensitive Data
Your data, whether proprietary designs or sensitive client information, is your competitive edge, and they are under constant threat. Creating cybersecurity for the manufacturing workplace means safeguarding the intellectual property and customer data that drive your success.
Building a Bridge of Trust with Customers
When your clients think about trust, most would likely think of cybersecurity as a vital part of it. Very little matters if you can’t trust a manufacturing company with personal data. A culture that demonstrates it can protect their information with advanced cybersecurity measures is a foundation of trust. When clients know their data is secure, confidence grows in ways that open new doors to opportunities and collaborations.
Keeping the Wheels of Production Turning
Along with common cyber threats like ransomware, digital threats in the manufacturing industry can bring your production lines to a halt. This makes a robust cybersecurity plan not just a shield but a continuity plan that ensures your operations can withstand and quickly recover from any cyber incident.
Additionally, building a solid cybersecurity culture for manufacturing companies should also be grounded in risk assessment, policy formulation, employee training, and vigilance against insider threats.
Start Building Your Cybersecurity Culture
At a time when cyber threats are evolving with alarming speed and sophistication, embracing cybersecurity is not an option—it’s a necessity. For the manufacturing sector, the stakes couldn’t be higher. We can help you fortify your defenses against the most advanced cyber threats in the world today. It’s what we do.
When working with TEC, you get a local team of people who care about solid relationships, state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions, and superior service through trust and integrity. TEC is dedicated to assisting you, from resolving daily annoyances to tackling your most complex endeavors.
You can contact us or call us at 440.333.5903.
TEC Communications has been a Cisco Premier Certified Partner and trusted IT solutions provider for over 40 years.