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Are You Prepared for the Shocking Costs of a Cyber Attack on Your Business?
Cyber attacks on manufacturing companies are on the rise. Criminals are now targeting factories more than ever before. This is a big problem that company leaders, not just the IT team, need to address.
Why Factories are a Target
In the past, hackers often went after industries like banking because they hold a lot of sensitive data. Now, things are changing. Manufacturing plants are becoming a hot target for several reasons:
- High Cost of Downtime: Every hour a factory is shut down can cost millions of dollars. Attackers know this and use it to their advantage.
- Ransomware: Criminal groups can shut down your operations and demand a large payment to get them running again. They don’t even need to steal customer information.
- Geopolitical Conflicts: Some attacks are not about money. They are driven by international politics to steal secrets or cause disruption.
- Supply Chain Attacks: Your company’s security is only as strong as your weakest partner. A single unsecured supplier can give attackers a way into your systems.
The Numbers Tell a Scary Story
The threat is real and growing. According to research from Check Point, the number of cyber attacks on manufacturing plants is increasing quickly.
- By 2025, a factory will face about 1,585 cyber attacks each week, a 30% jump from 2024.
- The fastest growth in attacks is happening in Europe.
- Taiwan has been hit the hardest, with an average of 5,100 attacks per week.
Real companies have already paid a heavy price:
- Clorox (2023): A ransomware attack stopped their operations and led to a $356 million loss in one quarter.
- Nucor (2025): North America’s biggest steel maker had to stop production because of a cyber attack.
- Jaguar Land Rover (2025): A ransomware attack shut down their factory for over a month, with damages estimated in the billions.
- Schumag AG (2024): A German manufacturer was forced into bankruptcy after repeated ransomware attacks.
Beyond the immediate financial loss, these attacks damage a company’s reputation, break customer trust, and can lead to legal problems.
Your Supply Chain is a Major Risk
Factories work with many suppliers and partners around the world. Each connection is a possible door for attackers. Criminals now specialize in stealing access to factory networks and selling it to ransomware groups. A single weak link, like an unsecured device or a supplier with poor security, can bring down your entire production line.
Geopolitics at the Factory Door
It’s not just about cybercrime anymore. Governments are sponsoring attackers to steal valuable information like drone designs, car technology, and military secrets. Hacktivists, who are motivated by politics, are also disrupting supply chains for companies in defense, energy, and other key areas. These attacks can harm a company’s ability to compete and even affect national security.
What Company Leaders Must Do
You can’t wait for an attack to happen. To protect your business, leaders should focus on these security steps:
- Build Resilience: Make business continuity a top priority. Regularly test your plans to get back up and running after an attack. Your recovery time should be measured in hours, not weeks.
- Secure Your Supply Chain: Demand high cybersecurity standards from all your partners and suppliers. Know who has access to your systems and what risks they bring.
- Protect Your Ideas: Your company’s secrets and designs are a prime target. Invest in advanced security to detect and prevent data theft. Have a plan for communicating during a crisis.
- Focus on Prevention: Don’t just meet the minimum security rules. Adopt a strategy that aims to stop attacks before they can cause damage.
By taking these steps, you are not just defending against threats. You are building a stronger, more resilient business that can be trusted by customers and partners. In manufacturing, where uptime and innovation are everything, good security is a powerful competitive advantage.