By Chet Namboodri, managing director, Global Enterprise Business, Manufacturing Vertical, Cisco
Manufacturing is undergoing radical advancements, much like the ones we've seen in health care and education, thanks to the Internet of Everything (IoE) and all of the people, data, processes and things it connects.
It's estimated that by 2020, 50 billion devices and objects will be connected to the Internet, including many devices in the manufacturing world. “Smart” factories where machines “talk” to one another, fleet vehicles such as trucks and forklifts with sensors that monitor their movements, and even wireless inventory tracking devices are all in play at manufacturers across the globe.
In addition, manufacturers are embracing a new generation of machine-to-machine (M2M) and person-to-machine (P2M) systems, as well as mobile applications and cloud-based services that drive efficiency and innovation across their value chain.
All of these connected “things” and processes allow manufacturers to benefit and address challenges that more traditional models and operating practices were not able to offer. This is especially true as IT and operations technology (OT) become more integrated in The Connected Enterprise® and vast data streams are acquired, processed and transmitted. However, it's these very streams of data and interconnectedness that are putting industry at risk.
Industrial Security
In a recent Twitter chat (#CiscoChat), Rockwell Automation (@ROKAutomation) and members of our company, Strategic Alliance Partner Cisco® (@CiscoMFG), discussed what new digital business models mean for industrial security.
During the chat, Nancy Cam-Winget, one of the leading experts in industrial security and Cisco engineer, Gregory Wilcox, global business development manager at Rockwell Automation, and other participants talked about how to mitigate digital risks and the future of security within the manufacturing industry.
Why is industrial security such a critical discussion? In 2012, McAfee's Threat Predictions white paper identified industrial networks as the leading cyber security vulnerability, confirming industrial control and automation systems (IACS) as target-rich environments. Just two years ago, Symantec reported that manufacturing was the most targeted sector for targeted attacks, accounting for 24% of them.
Fast forward to 2016, and the news isn't much better. Cybercrime costs have risen to $445 billion annually; the interconnectivity of devices and the new business models they drive are a huge reason.
In manufacturing, hackers can take control of certain software platforms and infect systems with malware. If there are unpatched or unprotected areas on IACSs, hackers can easily gain access to them — just like on traditional enterprise networks. The consequences could be detrimental, both internally and externally — worker downtime, economic losses, regulatory requirement violations are just a few.
To find out more about these risks, best practices for cyber security, and the digital future of manufacturing, check out the #CiscoChat.
Learn more about Rockwell Automation Industrial Automation Security.
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