Cybersecurity and Your Manufacturing Company

It’s not just healthcare, banking, and retail that are hit by cybercriminals. Some manufacturers distributors think that cyberattacks are unlikely to happen in their industry, or to companies their size, and they don’t take the proper precautions. Don’t find out the hard way that, in fact, manufacturing and distribution companies are becoming increasingly bigger targets for cybercrime.

Why manufacturers? In an article for Global Security Mag, cybersecurity specialist Tim Bandos explains that the manufacturing and distribution industry is at a higher risk than most people are aware of, because of the classified information or intellectual property at stake. It’s not just customer data anymore, now trade secrets are being sought by hackers who are paid top dollar to steal this information.

What can be done? Bandos writes, “First and foremost, manufacturers distributors should have a vulnerability management plan in place, and conduct ongoing vulnerability scans. These regular scans can help find unpatched systems and holes, which is often where hackers find their way in. In fact, most of these attackers are not leveraging zero-day vulnerabilities all the time; instead, they are taking advantage of vulnerabilities that have been out for years.”

Next, make sure everyone in the organization, from executive leadership to temporary staff, is trained in the cybersecurity protocols you put in place. Teach them how to recognize an email from a phishing source that can infect your network and cause a breach. This will save time, money, and headaches.

To read more, see the full article from Tim Bandos in Global Security Mag.