Reducing the Risk of Manufacturing Cyberattacks With Managed Detection and Response

The industrial 4.0 and 5.0 manufacturing industry continues to become fully automated, using robotics and additional advanced technology sensors with less human interaction. This strategy helps manufacturers become far more productive and profitable. 

As manufacturers continue to extend their automation and industrial functions, managed detection and response (MDR) services supporting industrial 5.0 will be necessary to secure manufacturing systems and detect and prevent persistent threats, malicious activities, and other sophisticated attacks. 

ForeNova, a global innovator in the MDR cybersecurity industry, continues to increase its advanced threat detection managed services offering to support manufacturing clients in the EU with the NovaMDR platform. 

Are you interested in securing your manufacturing networks and systems from next generation cyberattacks, meeting regulatory requirements, and moving toward a more proactive approach to cybersecurity? 

Risk and Reward Regarding Industrial 5.0 Automation 

Industrial 5.0 factories drive collaboration between human-machine systems and artificial intelligence, which is necessary for global manufacturing to meet their business and financial demands. As more factories become interlocked with others, the need to standardize manufacturing processes, supply chains, and quality control is paramount. 

Cyberattacks, including ransomware attacks, extortion, supply chain fraud, and production outages, curtail the expected efficiencies and financial gains the manufacturers expect. 

Many of these legacy systems exist within a closed-loop network environment, and maintenance updates rarely happen. Manufacturers’ decision to connect these legacy systems and next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) devices opened the door for cyberattacks. Hackers scanning industrial systems now have a direct line to previously secured OT and ICS systems with no remote access and limited network visibility. 

Most manufacturing transformations are not greenfield deployments. Manufacturers will keep existing technologies functioning while migrating to new solutions, including IoT devices, AI-based robotics, remote access, and continuous monitoring. 

These advanced functions have also become liabilities for manufacturing firms. 

Unique Cybersecurity Threats and Vulnerabilities in Manufacturing 

The manufacturing environment’s location shielded legacy OT and ICS systems vulnerabilities from exposure to advanced threats, human error, and zero-day attacks. As these legacy systems become IoT devices, patching and remediation are necessary to prevent phishing attacks, unknown threats, and other potential risks. 

The firmware size on IoT devices is negligible, and they only perform specific product functions. These devices rely on the network and platform infrastructure for cybersecurity protection. Hackers traditionally have targeted networking devices, firewalls, application platforms, identity management systems, and users. Targeting IoT devices is especially appealing since this type of an attack will shut down utility control units and automation factories in Germany and FinTech systems in the United States. 

Factories relying on fewer human resources and more robotics, leveraging IoT devices, become even more risky, mainly because these devices are codependent on each other. 

For example, an electric vehicle has close to 468 sensors running inside the car. Each sensor has a critical role in the vehicle’s functionality. Car manufacturers, like computer manufacturers, create constant firmware updates. These manufacturers leverage firmware-over-the-wire to transmit over 5G or LTE to deliver these patches. 

These cars can now receive firmware updates directly from the Internet, which increases the risk to both the vehicle and the driver. 

However, these IP-enabled sensors will become even more vulnerable to cyberattacks without the ability to receive firmware updates over the wire. 

How does NIS2 align with the Manufacturing Sector? 

“The EU’s NIS2 directive addresses increasing cyber threats by imposing strict security obligations on essential service operators, including manufacturing. Compliance is vital for protecting infrastructure, supply chains, and intellectual property.” 

Annex II of the NIS2 directive outlines specific manufacturing sectors affected by its cybersecurity requirements: 

• Medical devices 

• Electrical equipment 

• Machinery and equipment 

• Motor vehicles 

• Computers, electronics, and optical equipment 

• Robotics 

Outside in compiling with NIS2, manufacturers have several reasons to leverage this compliance framework to guide where they need to focus their cybersecurity protection efforts. 

These relevant areas include: 

Protection of Critical Infrastructure Against Cybersecurity Challenges 

A recent study reveals that 80% of manufacturing firms have encountered at least one cybersecurity incident, highlighting the critical necessity for strong protective measures. These measures aim to avert severe disruptions in manufacturing processes, maintain uninterrupted production, and safeguard against substantial financial and reputational harm. 

Increase Cybersecurity Protection for Supply Chains 

A recent study found that 70% of organizations faced supply chain attacks last year, underscoring the need for enhanced security protocols. The NIS2 cybersecurity framework can mitigate risks by leveraging technology and solutions partners to help protect customer data.  

Manufacturers can protect their digital landscape by securing supply chains, ensuring business continuity, and enhancing resilience. 

Providing Robust Security During the Industrial 5.0 Transformation 

A recent study shows that 75% of manufacturers have faced more cyber threats in recent years. NIS2 compliance requires strong cybersecurity measures and rapid incident response capabilities, ensuring innovations do not jeopardize sector security. 

Protect Trade Secrets and Intellectual Property 

Manufacturers can protect their intellectual assets from breaches and espionage using comprehensive protection strategies, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and advanced intrusion detection systems to establish robust defenses against attackers. 

Meet NIS2, GDPR, and other EU Compliance Mandates 

NIS2 compliance is vital for key manufacturing entities. “Non-compliance may cause penalties of up to 10 million euros or 2% of annual revenue, severely damaging the organization’s reputation.” 

Creating the Proper Cybersecurity Architecture for Protecting a Manufacturing Facility 

Securing the network, adding advanced identity management, and private VLANS are nothing new in the manufacturing sector. However, to address the increase in attack velocity from AI-based adversarial attacks, manufacturers need to make far more investments in next-generation networks, security operations centers, real-time threat detection, and advanced threat intelligence architectures to meet these challenges. 

Zero-Trust Security Strategies 

However complex, manufacturers recognize the critical importance of Zero-trust, especially with the increase in remote access into industrial 5.0 platforms, hosts, and devices. Zero-trust centralized all access to devices and hosts while serving human and machine-based authentication. This security protection layer also blocks direct connection access to industrial 5.0 robotic devices, water control units, solar farm devices, and other OT related functions. 

Advanced Email Security Powered by AI 

Sophisticated threats, including email phishing, continue to be among the manufacturing sector’s most challenging cyberattacks. Hackers using spear phishing techniques develop well-crafted email messages loaded with malicious links and malware and leverage language, attempting to lure factory managers, supply chain administrators, and plant operations teams to click on these messages. 

Ransomware-as-a-service leverages email phishing as the delivery for their attack tools. Manufacturing firms must upgrade to AI-powered email security to help protect human and machine-leveraging emails to communicate status updates. 

Updated Endpoint Detection  

Endpoint security tools are widespread within traditional enterprise environments. Industrial control units leveraging Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows must add an endpoint agent to protect these critical hosts. 

Data Protection 

Industrial 5.0 platforms generate considerable data, including applications, robotics, and IoT devices. Protecting this data is critical for manufacturing because this content is essential for leveraging AI and ML capabilities for better platform operations and decision-making. 

Managed Detection and Response Services (MDR) 

MDR for manufacturing continues to gain importance, specifically for firms that struggle to migrate to industrial 5.0 architectures. MDR helps provide continuous monitoring, automated incident response, and remediation capabilities for legacy security devices and next-generation cybersecurity controls. 

Why ForeNova? 

ForeNova helps manufacturers protect their existing and future factories with various managed service solutions. By leveraging their NovaMDR platform, ForeNova brings together network, endpoint, and host-based security controls reporting a unified management console center. This console provides automated incident response, captures critical attack data, launches remediation capabilities, and provides reporting for compliance requirements. 

The NovaMDR platform extended several additional capabilities, including 24×7 monitoring and access to security platform books, all delivered within an affordable cost model. 

ForeNova’s expertise in NIS2 compliance and extensive experience supporting the German automotive industry’s TISAX compliance framework also benefits clients in the EU.