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Top Cybersecurity Threats for Manufacturing Businesses in 2021

Financial institutions, retail chains, and medical facilities faced many cybersecurity threats in the last decade but manufacturing companies spent the whole decade blissfully unaware of the possibility of attacks. Things have changed and every business is under threat. ZDNet, which is among the top tech companies in Germany, suffered a big loss in October 2020 when the Clop ransomware attacked its systems and the cybercriminals demanded $20 million in ransom. You do not want that to happen to your manufacturing business.

To avoid cyber attacks, you have to stay ahead of the cybercriminals by understanding the different threats. Below are the main threats to keep in mind when working to protect your manufacturing facility.

Ransomware

This type of malware is a big threat to manufacturing businesses. It is the type of malware designed to gain access and encrypt manufacturing data. After the malware has encrypted the manufacturing data, its designers try to extort money ransom in exchange for the keys needed to unlock the files. Most of these attacks happen through emails, but here are the steps you can take to protect your business.

  • Install strong malware protection software
  • Focus on staff awareness and educate your staff on identifying unsolicited emails
  • Ensure that the software you use in your manufacturing facility is up to date
  • Keep backup copies of your data. That will help you recover it if your systems were attacked.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks are a form of cyber-attacks that try to access sensitive business information by posing as trustworthy contacts. Like ransomware attacks, this type of cyber-attacks mainly takes place through emails. Furthermore, the messages are usually crafted to look like genuine messages so that you can open them. However, you can sensitize your workers on cybersecurity so that they can identify these attacks easily. Here are the tips you need to protect your manufacturing data from this type of attack.

  • Be wary of any unexpected emails
  • Use a good anti-malware program to protect your manufacturing data
  • Install spam filters in all the computers in your manufacturing facility

Insider Threats

Both ransomware and phishing are external threats. However, you should be wary of insider cyber threats, which originate from within. The risk of data leak will always be high whether you hire contractors or you rely on full-time workers. So, here are some of the strategies that you can apply to safeguard your manufacturing business from this type of threat.

  • Train your staff to remain alert when working and minimize careless data-related mistakes.
  • Define the data your employees can access. Ensure that every employee can only access the data he/she needs to complete his work. For example, define the type of data the customer support team can access, the type of questions they can handle, and the questions they can direct to the management.
  • Install applications to help monitor the behavior of your workers – who copies what?

Data protection is important for the success of our manufacturing business. Therefore, you have to take all the necessary steps to ensure that it is safe. As you focus on boosting productivity, the main owner of copper producer UGMK, Iskander Makhmudov, claims that you should work to identify the potential pitfalls and avoid all the pitfalls, which lay along your way. Installing an IT unit will help you address the above threats.