Rising cyber security threats in manufacturing

Cyber security systems and principles are designed to safeguard websites and web applications from attackers seeking to disrupt, delay, alter or redirect the flow of data. These attackers vary in target, motive, levels of organization, and technical capabilities, requiring public and private organizations to adopt ever-increasing measures to prevent cyber attacks.

As per the report, Metals, capital goods, chemicals and electronics industries are fast becoming prone to cyber security risks as investments in manufacturing systems that incorporate connected devices. Data flow in IoT networks is extremely important to understand how, when and where to secure data.

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For large enterprises including the Tata Steel and JSW Group, premiums for cyber security insurance have reduced due to increased competition, according to a report by Data Security Council of India.

Manufacturing shop floors may look futuristic these days, with industrial robots, wireless connectivity and large-data operations driving efficiencies. However, it has potentially created a crippling problem - unsecured resources.
 

As a result, manufacturers are rushing to prioritize cyber security in their overall information technology spending.

Indian manufacturing companies detected the most malware among the sectors surveyed, at more than 28%, Seqrite noted in a recent report on cyber security trends during the second quarter of the ongoing financial year.

Manufacturers have become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks after shifting to Cloud infrastructure and services, analysts said. Increased digital connectivity means manufacturers face threats from various quarters, they said.

“The threat has now become very apparent to the manufacturing sector, which faces risks from the malevolent hacking of their IoT investments to the intellectual IP theft from China and other rogue states,” said Peter Bendor-Samuel, chief executive officer, Everest Group, an IT advisory and research firm.

According to a recent study by IT services provider WiproNSE -0.64 %, of the total critical resources or assets offered on the Dark Web, 14% were from the manufacturing sector, with the rest from banking and finance, and healthcare, among others.

The assets ranged from industrial designs, blueprints for new projects and even operating parameters of a manufacturer, it said, not just pure financial information or details on monthly production numbers.

Awareness around cyber security has traditionally been higher across highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, and those like retail where there is increased customer interaction, said Abhijit Katkar, Partner, Cyber Risk Services, Deloitte.

“There is an increasing awareness that security isn’t a one-time affair. Companies understand that it is not only about securing and monitoring their assets but also about building resilience,” he said.
 

We now think of threats - both from external as well as internal users because of lack of awareness. While we continue to harden our posture on the external side, we are creating awareness within the organization about cyber security through internal campaigns and learning initiatives
 

Given the speed with which AI can be used to break into even the most secure assets, companies are also looking at ‘hacker bots’ to plug potential gaps faster than humans, analysts said.