Cross out cyber breaches to achieve success in manufacturing

ASIA-PACIFIC’s gross domestic product can boost up by US$387 billion by 2021 if manufacturers dive head-on into digital transformation.

According to the IDC study, the top three benefits of digital transformation for manufacturers will all contribute to a better bottom line.

Not only will it improve productivity and profit margins, but also reduce overall spending.

However, some manufacturers are putting the brakes on the shift as cyber breaches are becoming increasingly widespread in the industry.

With bleeding edge technology, lights-out manufacturing can actually be achieved. However, that will rely heavily on high-speed network infrastructure and machine-to-machine communications.

Unsophisticated machinery and network infrastructure that is not encrypted will make the organization more susceptible to cyber breaches.

The vast amount of data that manufacturers also makes them more attractive to cybercriminals. Hence manufacturers are delaying their digital transformation projects despite the obvious benefits.

However, the fear of cyber breaches will also hinder the business’ future in the digital era.

As a result, the organization will not be able to leverage technologies to innovate, make operations more efficient, and thrive.

How to dodge the curve balls of cyber breaches

The manufacturing sector will experience even more digital disruption as technology advances.

So, it is in the manufacturers’ best interest to begin scaling up the digital maturity curve.

Instead of staying static and eventually tapping out, manufacturing sector leaders should learn how to dodge the curve balls of cyber breaches.

Cybersecurity will be an ever-changing component as the technology that cybercriminals will also evolve.

This is to say that all companies should be ever-ready and vigilant.

To do so, companies should spend more time at the initial stage of digital transformation on cybersecurity. Besides, cybersecurity should be factored in at every stage of the digital lifecycle and in every device.

As manufacturers will use a large amount of IoT devices, every transaction of data needs to be safeguarded.

Cybersecurity systems need to be simplified and user-friendly. This is so that security abnormalities are visible and can be contained in a timely manner.

A straight-to-the-point security setup will be more practical, especially for business users that are less tech-savvy. At the end of the day, the basics of cyber security must still be in place.

Things like strong passwords and multi-factor authentication are no-brainer cybersecurity practices.

On top of that, manufacturers need to ensure that patching is efficient and the company’s internal IT policy is robust.

As the world becomes more digital, it will be inevitable for manufacturers to make the shift.

For this reason, organizations must cross out cyber breaches to achieve success in manufacturing before it gets crossed out instead.

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