How to Keep Your Smart Factory Secure
We have exclusive deals ! Chat now to hear more! Author: Phil Muncaster,Date published: June 4, 2026,The manufacturing sector is one of the driving forces behind the economy, . And it's embracing emerging technologies like 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing to drive productivity and efficiency—by 2029, a compound annual growth rate of 15.5% from 2024, according to MarketsandMarkets. Yet as with any new technology investment, cyber threat exposure must be considered. Capgemini Research Institute found that 79% of global organizations than in a traditional manufacturing setting. Unfortunately, understanding there's a problem and doing something about it are often two different things. Capgemini highlighted persistent challenges in the sector with early threat detection, security budgets and engagement with chief security officers (CSOs). To ensure your organization maximizes the opportunities smart technologies present, security considerations should be considered at the start of every implementation. Few factories feature only next-gen technologies. Instead, the majority incorporate a blend of old and new, including potentially decades-old industrial control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition equipment, and other operational technology (OT). These legacy technologies are an attractive target for threat actors. Employees can also pose a security risk. According to the Verizon , the manufacturing industry experienced a stark increase in the number of breaches for the 12 months ending on October 31, 2024, particularly for espionage. Here are some of the top smart factory security risks to watch out for. The , accounting for 26% of attempted compromises largely due to its use of OT, according to Forescout. As legacy equipment is fitted with connectivity and integrated into IT systems, it subsequently , unless air-gapped from the public-facing internet. About 59% of to better secure themselves from cyber attacks. The challenge here is that many such products can be insecure by design because they lack the necessary security controls to help reduce the risk of cyber breaches. For example, one study from Forescout found , including some of the most popular producers of OT. These ranged from remote code execution to insecure firmware updates, weak cryptography and insecure engineering protocols. Vendors can be slow to update their software, and once available, factory owners may find it difficult to take critical systems offline to test patches. More modern endpoints may also lack firmware updates and feature easy-to-guess or crack password-based authentication. If not properly isolated or protected, IoT devices can be used to gain a foothold in corporate networks. Factory owners may also struggle to name all the OT endpoints in their environment because they can't afford the downtime needed to run full system scans. As the saying goes: You can't protect what you can't see. That may partly explain why vulnerability exploitation was the top infection vector at . that cyber attackers use. This is unsurprising: Users remain a top target for attackers and as long as static credentials for IT and OT systems remain in circulation, malicious actors will be motivated to steal them through social engineering. Manufacturing organizations are a critical element of global supply chains, but they also have their own complex ecosystem of suppliers. Unfortunately, these can unwittingly increase manufacturing cybersecurity risk. Over half (51%) of global CSOs believe smart factory security threats primarily originate from partners and vendors. In particular, they may be using non-standard smart factory processes to repair or update OT and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems—something 77% of CSOs are concerned about. According to the , the number of breaches in manufacturing industry continues to grow, with the uptick in numbers largely due to Ransomware attacks. . Accorindg to the , the top action varieties in manufacturing breaches are. A cyber attack on your organization can cause , such as:,Capgemini explains that its work with manufacturing firms has highlighted the difference between those with a mature cybersecurity posture and the rest. The leaders in this regard focus on several fronts to deliver awareness, preparedness and implementation of security controls. This might involve:,In terms of specific security controls, manufacturers could consider:,Discover how Verizon can help . Capgemini Research Institute, Smart & Secure: Why Smart Factories Need to Prioritize Cybersecurity, page 2. Forescout, OT:Icefall, page 3. Forescout, OT:Icefall, page 3. Capgemini Research Institute, page 29. Capgemini Research Institute, page 4. Call sales,Chat with us,Have us contact you,Get updates,Already have an account?,* Required,The information provided will be used in accordance with our terms set out in our . Please confirm you have read and understood this Notice,Verizon may wish to contact you in the future concerning its products and/or services. If you would like to receive these communications from Verizon, indicate by selecting from the dropdown menu below. Please note that you can unsubscribe or update your preferences at any time. By submitting the form, you are agreeing to receive insights, reports and other information from Verizon and affiliated companies in accordance with our . California residents can view our California Privacy Notice . These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. 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