January 9, 2026
In 2024, 26% of cyberattacks targeted the manufacturing industry. I'm not trying to be alarmist. But I am trying to be real with you. Because while most manufacturers have been focused on cutting costs, optimizing production lines, improving efficiency, and managing supply chains, cybercriminals have been studying you. And they've decided that right now, manufacturing is where the money is.
So let's talk about what's actually happening out there, why your facility is such an attractive target, and what building real resilience looks like in today's threat landscape.
Why Cybersecurity Threats in the Manufacturing Industry Have Grown
Why has manufacturing become such a hot target? It's not random.
Think about what makes your operation tick. You've got supply chains that stretch across continents. You're juggling relationships with dozens — maybe hundreds — of vendors and suppliers. You're running equipment that can't afford to go down, because every minute of downtime translates directly to lost revenue. And let's be honest, you're probably still running some legacy systems that were installed when "cybersecurity" wasn't even in our vocabulary.
That's the perfect storm cybercriminals are looking for.
When they hit a manufacturing facility, they're not just attacking one company. They're striking at the heart of entire supply chains. They know you'll feel pressure from every direction — from customers who need their orders, from partners downstream who depend on your output, from stakeholders who are watching the bottom line. That pressure? That's what makes manufacturing companies more likely to pay ransoms. And pay big.
But the financial motivation is only part of the story.
The real vulnerability lies in how interconnected everything has become.
What Are the Cyber Threats to Manufacturing?
Let me break down the main threats we're seeing, because understanding what you're up against is the first step.
Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware generates a lot of headlines, and for good reason. Attackers encrypt your systems, shut down your production lines, and demand payment to restore access.
Supply Chain Attacks
Cybercriminals can compromise a smaller, less-protected supplier or vendor, then use that access as a backdoor into larger targets. If you're thinking, "but we're secure," that might be true, but what about your tier-two supplier who manages your logistics software? Vendor due diligence can be time-consuming, but it’s often eye-opening.
Industrial IoT Vulnerabilities
Every sensor, every smart device, every connected piece of equipment on your factory floor is a potential entry point. And here's the kicker: many of these IIoT devices were designed with functionality in mind, not security. Too often, they’re running with default passwords, outdated firmware, and minimal security protocols.
Insider Threats
The phrase “Insider threats” sounds like an employee setting out to intentionally cause harm. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen, but 62% of insider incidents are due to human error — like an employee clicking on a risky email attachment.
Intellectual Property Theft
Your proprietary designs, manufacturing processes, and R&D data — it's all valuable. Without cybersecurity controls in place, it can be stolen without you even knowing it happened until your competitor somehow releases a suspiciously similar product.
Building Cyber Resilience Manufacturing: It's Not Just About Technology
Here's where I see a lot of manufacturers getting it wrong. They think cyber resilience is purely a technology problem that can be solved by buying the right software or installing the right firewall.
Building cyber resilience in manufacturing is actually about creating a culture and infrastructure that can prevent, withstand, and recover from attacks. It's about assuming that breaches will happen and being prepared when they do.
Different Systems Have Different Needs
Real resilience starts with knowing what you're protecting. Not all data and systems are created equal. Your financial records? Critical. Your industrial control systems? Mission-critical. That old inventory database? Important, but probably not in the same category. Understanding your risk profile — what assets you have, where they're vulnerable, and what the impact of compromise would be — is foundational work that too many companies skip.
Perimeter Security Isn’t Enough
The old model of security was like a medieval castle: hard shell on the outside, soft and trusting on the inside. Once you got past the moat and the walls, you could wander around freely. Zero trust flips that script. It says: verify everyone, every time, regardless of where they are or what access they've had in the past.
For manufacturing, zero trust means treating every device, every user, and every vendor connection as potentially hostile until proven otherwise. It means segmenting your networks so that a breach in one area doesn't automatically give attackers access to everything else. It means implementing multi-factor authentication, even when it feels inconvenient.
The Human Element Is Important
You can have the most sophisticated security technology in the world, and it all comes crashing down if someone uses "Password123" to protect administrative access to your control systems.
Secure manufacturing isn't possible without addressing the human element. And I don't just mean training employees to spot phishing emails.
I'm talking about creating a culture where security is everyone's responsibility, not just IT's problem. Where employees feel empowered to question suspicious requests instead of just complying because they came from someone with a fancy title. Where there's no shame in admitting you clicked on something you shouldn't have, because the faster you report it, the faster it can be contained.
This means regular training, yes. But more importantly, it means making security practices practical and relevant. Your shop floor workers probably don't need to understand the technical details of encryption protocols. They do need to understand why they shouldn't plug in random USB drives they find, or why connecting personal devices to the production network is a risk.
Business Partners Can Also Be Business Risks
Your security is only as strong as your weakest link, and that weak link might be a third-party contractor who has VPN access to your systems. Establishing security requirements for anyone who enters your facilities or has access to your systems and data isn't being difficult. It’s being responsible.
Cybersecure Manufacturing Resources
I know cybersecurity can feel overwhelming. The threats are complex, the solutions seem expensive, and you're already juggling a dozen other priorities. It can also feel like cybersecurity companies are just trying to scare or scold you. But we’re actually trying our best to help.
I’ve compiled some helpful resources for manufacturers in this blog. Our cybersecurity team at Marco has also put together a free cyber health quiz. In just a few minutes, you'll get a clearer picture of where your security stands and, more importantly, where your biggest gaps are.
