Industry 4.0 promises improved operational efficiency and greater productivity optimization, including enhanced worker safety and sustainability through reduced waste and better energy usage. Those businesses in the industrial sectors that embrace Industry 4.0 stand to gain significant competitive advantages over those laggards and less-enthusiastic adopters.
Despite the undeniable benefits of Industry 4.0, these advanced technologies and ways of working introduce new security risks that businesses must address accordingly.
A fundamental element of Industry 4.0 is widespread digitalization. Soon, manufacturers could have tens of thousands of Internet of Things (IoT)-powered devices, sensors, and cameras inside their factories connected to the network. The proliferation of these devices introduces new threat vectors that expand the attack surface. Simultaneously, transmitting sensitive data through the network exposes previously isolated systems to increased risk of cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity incidents can be devastating. Sometimes, an attack may cause downtime, grinding productivity to an unceremonious halt and putting businesses behind schedule. These attacks can also be expensive, requiring recovery fees and degrading customer and partner relationships.
Concerningly, the rise in Industry 4.0 adoption corresponds with an uptick in cyberattacks. A report from Armis shows that global attack attempts doubled in 2023, rising by 104 percent, with the manufacturing sector being the second most at-risk industry. Research from Statista demonstrates that, in 2023 alone, there were almost 260 cases of data compromise in the manufacturing and utilities industry in the U.S.
A Three-Pronged Cybersecurity Strategy
A robust cybersecurity strategy boils down to three main areas: people, processes and technology.
Today, most security vulnerabilities result from people. Whether bad actors infiltrating a network or improper habits from employees that expose systems to attacks, people are mainly to blame for security threats. In fact, one study found that employee mistakes cause approximately 88 percent of all data breaches.
With this reality in mind, businesses need to provide security awareness training to anyone with login credentials at every level of the organization. Also, companies must have the appropriate access controls to prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing critical applications or sensitive data. Companies can further bolster their security by implementing authentication mechanisms, such as certificate-based or multi-factor authentication, which ensure that only authorized devices can access the network.
From a process perspective, businesses should establish data encryption protocols. When an employee uses machine learning (ML) or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms on a public cloud service, the data transmitted to the back-end server must remain encrypted. Companies should constantly test their processes and systems for security vulnerabilities through penetration testing and other monitoring methods. Converting to a private or public/private hybrid network is another way to protect against external threats. It is also invaluable to have a comprehensive remediation protocol in place.
Lastly, a robust cybersecurity strategy should include secure hardware and software that comply with the best industry standards and demonstrate a proven track record across thousands of endpoints. Businesses need to leverage battle-tested technology solutions – a remote management platform, for example, supports ongoing and proactive security monitoring as well as instantaneous system-wide firmware updates, providing security patches in response to emerging threats. Additionally, manufacturers should invest in cybersecurity technologies that enable network segmentation and incident/anomaly detection.
Although businesses can implement many of these security practices themselves, some may require the expertise and support of an established solutions provider or vendor. An ideal industrial IoT partner will help build security rather than bolting it on, allowing companies to achieve greater security at the edge. In particular, cellular edge computing devices provide global coverage, scalability and – most importantly – security, making them an ideal choice for connecting devices across factories and supply chains.
Beyond security, a solid solutions provider can empower a company to reach its Industry 4.0 targets more effectively. IoT solutions with ML and AI algorithms promote greater intelligence at the edge, allowing manufacturers to gain insights into production processes to eliminate bottlenecks and optimize operations. New 5G technologies also enable low latency and faster response times at the edge.
Hardware needs replacing every few years to support new use cases. However, companies can future-proof themselves and ensure reliable long-term success by leveraging leading cellular IoT solutions that allow for autonomous and agile manufacturing, including applications like predictive maintenance, which increases overall equipment effectiveness.
