Building Your Cyber Security Strategy
In the booming age of Industry 4.0 (the fourth and current industrial revolution), manufacturers are replacing legacy shop-floor equipment with smart ways and means – enabling safer, more efficient factories with greater Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Enterprising new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies like construction robotics and smart assembly lines are at once enabling manufacturers to remain competitive while placing them squarely in the hacker’s crosshairs, with attack vectors just as vulnerable as those seen by popular targets like retail. Manufacturers who look to protect the equipment – and people – occupying their shop floors by way of enterprise-grade, easy-to-deploy solutions will find them with WatchGuard.
IIoT
For all its benefits – including better safety and more efficient factories – a closer look reveals that IIoT shares the same pitfalls that have plagued the Internet of Things for so long, as these products are typically produced on the basis of cost – rather than cyber security – offering compelling new vectors of attack for cyber criminals.
Intellectual Property Theft
The theft of IP (intellectual property) has been a long-standing menace within the manufacturing sector, and could include anything from product proposals to proprietary manufacturing processes, all of which represents tempting fodder for competitors and ransomware-armed hackers alike, potentially leading to loss revenue and customers. A critical step to securing access to valuable data within your network is the deployment of an MFA, or multi-factor authentication solution.
Cyber Security Skills Shortage
A global shortage of IT talent has left large staffing gaps across all industries, but is especially worrying for the manufacturing sector due to its reliance on different digital infrastructure (Operational Technology and Industrial Control System) than that of other industries, further limiting qualified candidates. When resources like staff and time are running short, RapidDeploy enables remote, Cloud-based deployment and configuration of Firebox appliances.
Shadow IT
Shadow IT – the use of hardware or software within a business without the acknowledgement of the IT department – is a growing concern for many manufacturers, as operation teams purchase and utilize connected equipment without the knowledge of a central IT department. Because you cannot secure a network you don’t understand, WatchGuard’s Network Discovery service generates a visual map of all nodes on your network, making it easy to see where you may be at risk. It helps ensure only authorized devices are connected while detecting all open ports and protocols.
Ruggedized Security for Harsh Environments
Not all security is created equal, and the average firewall is not likely to withstand the harsh conditions of a busy factory floor. Enter the WatchGuard AP430CR – a high-performance, ruggedized security appliance for protecting critical networks in harsh environments against dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures.
The manufacturing sector is now one of the most-hacked industries, second only to healthcare.
(Precision Manufacturing)
By 2020 the number of connected things is expected to reach 50 billion, returning $19 trillion in cost-savings and profits.
(Newgen Apps)
Businesses have between 17 and 20 times more Cloud applications running than their IT department estimated.
(Quick Base)
47% of breaches that take place within a manufacturing business involve the theft of intellectual property.
(Attila)
Downloads & Resources
“RapidDeploy saves us a lot of time and expense. Replacing a firewall does not mean that one of us has to hop on a plane and fly halfway around the world. The centralized configuration is ideal for us and has yet to display the slightest weakness.”
René Clausing, Head of IT, IKN GmbH