Cybersecurity has quickly become a top challenge for manufacturers and industrial services around the world. According to a September 2021 survey of manufacturing executives, 61 percent identify cybersecurity as a “high/very high priority.”
These challenges are especially pronounced as manufacturers turn to remote and hybrid teams to attract and retain top talent while maintaining operational continuity.
As a result, manufacturers are introducing remote operations capacity for OT systems, allowing employees, contractors, and trusted third parties to operate on-site infrastructure from anywhere in the world. While the benefits are multifaceted, the risks to critical systems are real. Off-site workers are more likely to compromise OT integrity as everything from phishing scams to distractions undermine cybersecurity initiatives.
Unfortunately, many organizations do not have proper access control protection in place. Many manufacturing organizations still rely on antiquated control systems for their critical operations. At the same time, one industry report found that nearly half of organizations cannot identify a breach, and 25 percent haven’t…
