As more and more industrial control systems (ICS) become connected to smart devices, enterprise IT systems and the Internet, manufacturing operations are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks. These attacks can cause manufacturing disruptions, leading to defective products, production downtime, physical damage and even threaten lives.
Cyberattacks targeting manufacturing companies are on the rise, according to a recent report from IBM X-Force Research’s 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Index. The report noted that the sector is the second most-attacked industry behind healthcare. Automotive manufacturers were the top targets for criminals, accounting for almost 30% of all cyberattacks in 2015, while chemical companies were attackers’ second-favorite targets.
