PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS
The Industrial Internet Of Things ( IIoT ) is creating incredible new advancements and opportunities for manufacturers . But it ’ s also enhancing the sector ’ s well-documented vulnerability to cybercrime .
It ’ s no coincidence that the IBM 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Report has ranked manufacturing as the most-attacked industry for the third consecutive year . As the adoption of IIoT grows , with Statista estimating the market will expand by 12.68 % to have a volume of US $ 525.20bn in 2028 , the sector faces a difficult question : How can manufacturers balance technological advancement with cybersecurity ?
How can manufacturers balance technological advancement and cybersecurity ? Providing answers to this question is Dharminder Debisarun , Smart Industries Cybersecurity Executive at Palo Alto Networks , a global cybersecurity enterprise . A member of ENISA ’ s ( The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security ) expert group for Industry 4.0 , Dharminder is a technical expert on bridging the gap between IT and OT . He has extensive expertise in industrial IIoT and manufacturing security , as it pertains to factory operations , connected cars , airports and airlines .
“ As manufacturers navigate the increasingly interconnected landscape of IIoT , it ’ s crucial to recognise and address the cybersecurity realities that accompany this technological evolution ,” Dharminer says . “ Manufacturers are particularly at risk due to their low tolerance for any downtime and subsequent impact on production .”
IIoT , by increasing the interconnectedness and digitisation of manufacturing processes has widened the attack surface cybercriminals can exploit , creating increased vulnerability . In 2023 , IIoT-focused attacks were so prevalent they could ’ ve been monthly calendar events . In the US alone we saw manufacturer Mueller Water
66 August 2024