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Cybersecurity for Manufacturers - Where to start?
Cybersecurity for manufacturers is challenging. With numerous outdated and unsupported systems in the production chain, manufacturers are vulnerable, and hackers know it. It’s not unusual to see production lines or critical systems driven by applications running on vintage OSs like Windows 2000 or 2003, Windows NT 4 or Windows XP. It’s impossible to install recent antivirus software on many of these systems, leaving them unprotected and vulnerable to intrusions and ransomware.
For many manufacturers, these systems simply can’t be changed (technological constraints, etc.). These systems are crucial and would require a re-tooling of their entire manufacturing process to replace.
Another risk factor is the interconnection of IT and industrial (EO) systems in preparation for the transition to Industry 4.0. These new interconnections increase security risks because EO systems are exposed to the Internet (thus to cyberattacks).
Given all these challenges, where is today’s manufacturer supposed to start in order to secure their infrastructure against cybercriminal attacks?
Start with a Security Risk Analysis
Carrying out a security risk analysis is the first step. You’ll need to start by identifying your 5 top cybersecurity risk areas. To identify these risks, take into account the types of incidents that you’ve already experienced and have had a significant impact (e.g. ransomware, phishing, etc.). You should also consider the types of incidents that regularly target companies in your sector because cybercriminals tend to target companies in the same industry with similar technical setups. The media is a good source for collecting information on companies in your industry that have been subject to cyberattacks.
If you do not have in-house expertise, you can work with an external firm to get a complete picture of your risks.
Next, Network Diagnosis
Now that you’ve identified and prioritized potential risks, a network diagnosis will allow you to understand which cyberattacks are currently targeting you. You’ll be able to get visibility on what those attacks are targeting, which systems/applications are most attractive to hackers, and which vulnerabilities and loopholes hackers are trying to exploit.
To carry out this diagnosis, you’ll need to put your network under passive surveillance by a cyber threat detection system for at least 30 days. This monitoring will collect data on recurring cyberattacks that target you daily, as well as several other relevant pieces of information. The analysis of this monitoring will highlight the points that you should focus on to enhance your security.
Taking Back Control
Risk analysis and network diagnostics give you a useful overview of your cyber-risk level. But then you have to take action to protect your systems.
For example, if hackers are trying to take control of your IoT systems by brute-forcing usernames and passwords, you’ll need to improve password management.
Then, you’ll need to make sure that you have the necessary measures in place to deal with each of the significant risks identified - prioritizing them according to potential impact and likelihood.
Some high-priority risks will need to be addressed in the short term, while others you can correct in the medium or long term. This phased strategy allows you to better plan your security efforts and budgets.
Raising User Awareness of Cyber Risks
It’s a truism in cybersecurity, but the weakest link in your security perimeter is always humans. Increasing user awareness of security issues, protocols, and procedures has to be at the centre of any new security strategy.
For the manufacturing sector, user training should include topics like phishing risks, password protection, secure web browsing, social engineering and detection of fraud attempts.
Putting your Network Under Continuous Surveillance
You can't protect yourself from what you don't see. To secure your infrastructure, you need 360-degree visibility on attacks that are targeting you. To do this, you need to monitor your network via a Cyberthreat Detection System to detect and block malicious activities that are continuously targeting you.
Many security companies recommend using a log management tool (SIEM) for security monitoring in manufacturing environments. But the SIEM and SOC approach provides a limited view of network security. Instead, we recommend implementing a computer intrusion detection or prevention system (IDS/IPS) such as our StreamScan CDS, which gives you 360-degree visibility 24/7/365.
Find out how our Monitored Detection and Response (MDR) Service can Protect Your Network
We’re convinced that after seeing our MDR solution (powered by our CDS network monitoring technology) in action, you won’t want to leave your network unprotected again. So we are offering a 30-day free trial that includes:
Email: Freetrial@streamscan.ai
Phone: 1 877-208-9040
