Be Prepared, Not Scared: A Cybersecurity Primer for Manufacturers

It’s Monday. You’re just sitting down at your desk with a cup of coffee before your plant’s first shift is scheduled to begin. You open your file browser to check on a projection spreadsheet.

But something funny happens. You can’t open the file. It’s been encrypted.

In fact, all of your files are encrypted. Your entire IT ecosystem is paralyzed—the victim of a ransomware attack. The perpetrators are demanding a hefty sum before giving you back the keys, and in the meantime, your entire organization grinds to a halt.

This is the kind of nightmare scenario that an increasing number of professionals have found themselves in in recent years—certainly not an enviable position. But it’s avoidable for manufacturers who take proactive steps to protect themselves against evolving cybersecurity threats.

How to do it? I’m glad you asked. I had the opportunity to attend a recent webinar that Akhia President and CEO Ben Brugler and cybersecurity expert Craig Horbus presented for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. In short: It’s about being prepared, not scared. Here’s a recap of what I learned:

What is a Ransomware Attack?

A ransomware attack is a specific type of malware attack that prevents users from accessing their files, systems, or networks, and demands a ransom payment for their return.

Attackers can infect a victim's device through a number of methods, including:

Email attachments
Phishing and social engineering scams
Software vulnerabilities
RDP and credential abuse

Ransomware attacks can be extremely costly and disruptive, resulting in manufacturers’ loss of critical data and operations. Proactive preparation is essential to preventing the worst consequences from such an attack.

What’s at Risk?

First, it’s worth getting to know a few eye-opening statistics:

The global average cost of a data breach in 2024 is $4.88 million.
The cost of an average manufacturing ransomware attack is $500,000.
2024 saw a year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks, up 3.69% from 2023.
The manufacturing industry ranks third in the reported number of cyber incidents.

These figures are only likely to increase, especially as the number of internet-connected devices within manufacturing organizations continues to rise. An estimated 29 billion devices are likely to be connected by 2030. An increasingly global supply chain can allow an attack to spread between organizations. Legacy systems can contain vulnerabilities and other security gaps, and industrial IoT devices are a prime target for threat actors.

Plus, there’s another factor at play in today’s manufacturing space. It’s a big one, and you can’t afford to ignore it.

AI and Cybersecurity

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing sector has progressed from an exploratory stage to a more comprehensive integration stage.

For example, the deployment of “digital twins,” which virtually replicate real-world objects and assets, are enabling manufacturers to visualize collected data to create new production efficiencies. AI simulations can be quickly analyzed and modeled, and reinforcement learning (RL) allows AI to learn from past experiences by interacting with its environment rather than relying on labeled data inputs. AI can automate labor-intensive procedures and effectively predict equipment failures and change points, and optimize schedules. Machine learning models may be able to help identify new product development with market trends and customer preferences.

The examples are virtually endless, and they are expanding every day. Combined, these tools can revolutionize manufacturing decision-making. But AI is, at its core, data-driven—and learning how to prepare for and employ the evolving AI landscape is essential for manufacturers to ensure proper governance of this data, establish AI procedures, and continuously build customer and consumer trust.

Indeed, AI and cybersecurity strategies shouldn’t be two initiatives —it’s time to look at them as one unique, powerful tool that needs to be managed and protected.

Staying Prepared

Success in this evolving industrial environment will require teams to embrace innovation, adapt quickly, invest strategically, and be proactive about the steps taken to protect your organization. Preparedness should be your No. 1 priority.

So it’s worth asking: How prepared for a cybersecurity threat are you? Your answers to the following questions should provide you with some clarity:

Do you have an existing incident response/business continuity plan in place? Has it been updated and stress-tested to account for remote working environments?

Do you have an identified incident response firm that can immediately deploy and assist in the event your company encounters an incident?

How long would it take your organization to recover if business operations were stalled?

Are you able to identify unauthorized access or determine how a breach occurred?

Do you have backups of your critical assets and systems in case access to them is denied? Are they properly segmented and protected?

Have you identified your organization’s “crown jewels” and ensured they are secure?

Does your organization have a regimented software patching program and is that being adhered to in the current changing times?

Threat Detected: What to Do in the Event of a Cybersecurity Incident

If being prepared is the most important part of an effective cybersecurity program, the second most important is what you do if you do discover that you’ve been compromised.

Once you detect a cybersecurity incident, it is essential to act quickly. Cyber incident response teams must seamlessly integrate across existing mission-critical functions with active leadership and legal participation. You should …

Combine resources and tools necessary to determine the scope, impact and appropriate response.
Prevent data from leaving the networks and prevent further damage.
Remove malicious code, actor accounts or unnecessary access.
Repair vulnerabilities that may be the root cause of the incident.

Furthermore, you should be proactive and public about your response. In the event of a cyber incident, are you aware of your audiences? Communication to your publics should be part of your annual planning program. Who would need to be communicated to? Remember, the absence of communication is the communication; silence can be deafening.

Elsewhere, have you taken the proper steps to create communication channels that can quickly be deployed to warn, advise, reassure and prepare those who are potentially affected? Here, you can create messaging trees to support common breaches and incidents that can easily be accessed should the need arise. Plan for IT, legal and communications to work closely for efficiency and accuracy during a time when you can’t afford to spare either of those things.

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Cybersecurity is serious business for manufacturers—but it doesn’t have to be scary. If you’ve made it to the end of this blog, you’ve already taken the first step necessary to better prepare your organization to handle and navigate the threats.

Interested in learning more? Ben wants to hear from you. Get in touch to review your programming and evaluate if your organization is prepared to handle a cybersecurity incident.

Want to discuss a crisis communication audit and preparedness plan? Determine your vulnerabilities? Conduct a cyber audit?