The pace of technological innovation in industrial manufacturing has accelerated drastically in recent years—for better and for worse.
The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to take hold across industry, and driving the most value from it requires manufacturers to unify their operations and business processes in some way. The most logical method for doing so is bringing closer together the IT functions that have historically controlled the business with the operational technology (OT) functions that have historically controlled the manufacturing process. The business synergies and financial implications of doing so make it a no-brainer for manufacturers to pursue, if they hope to maintain or increase operating profit.
But just as manufacturing technology has advanced, so too have the risks. IoT-enabled open platforms and interconnected systems have opened new doors for cybercriminals, leading to a rise in the frequency and severity of cyberattacks. A common approach to enabling an industrial IoT environment is the application of sensors across the plant. These sensors, while able to provide astounding amounts of valuable business and operating data, are also gateways into the systems that…
