Overconfidence in Cyber Resilience is Leaving Manufacturing Vulnerable, Report Warns

A new report has revealed that manufacturing sector leaders may be overestimating their cyber resilience, creating internal security blind spots.

Despite 76% of cyber risk owners believing their organisations are resilient, the study by Threat Detection & Response provider e2e-assure suggests otherwise.

The report found that 77% of manufacturing employees admitted to witnessing a colleague breach cybersecurity protocols. However, due to their confidence in existing defences, cyber risk owners are not prioritising cybersecurity training—only 24% of organisations currently offer such programs.

This overconfidence is particularly concerning given that 82% of cyber risk owners reported experiencing a cyber attack, an increase from 78% the previous year. The focus on external threats, such as ransomware attacks that can cause costly downtime and supply chain disruptions, may be overshadowing internal vulnerabilities.

Manufacturing firms often rely on legacy systems that do not seamlessly integrate with modern cybersecurity technologies, resulting in security gaps. Without adequate training, employees may not recognise or report suspicious activity—only 23% of employees currently report incidents to IT, often due to a lack of understanding of cybersecurity risks.

Another alarming finding is that just 6% of employees view cybersecurity as a collective responsibility, whereas 54% believe it falls solely under the IT team’s jurisdiction. This misplaced trust in IT teams managing all security concerns leads to disengagement, with only 36% of employees stating they are "very engaged" in cybersecurity training—despite 76% of cyber risk owners believing otherwise.

The study also highlights a reliance on outsourced Security Operations Centers (SOCs), with 44% of manufacturing firms utilising external providers. However, cyber attacks within the sector continue to rise, indicating that outsourced solutions alone are not enough.

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents another challenge. Manufacturing has the highest AI usage among all surveyed sectors, with 37% of employees using OpenAI tools at least weekly. Despite 80% of cyber risk owners expressing confidence in their organisation’s AI policies, 52% of employees admit they are unaware of what these policies entail. This disconnect between policy and awareness could severely impact cyber threat detection and response.

Rob Demain, Founder and CEO at e2e-assure, emphasised the need for comprehensive training: “With so many employees disengaged in cybersecurity despite frequent breaches of best practices, it’s crucial that cyber risk owners implement effective training programs. These should address AI risks, best practices for legacy systems, and foster a collective responsibility for cybersecurity.”

To enhance cybersecurity resilience, the report recommends four key actions:

• Tailor training programs to actively engage employees.

• Foster a culture of security awareness.

• Leverage automation to minimise human error.

• Ensure the right cybersecurity providers are in place.

The e2e-assure research aligns with findings from Omdia, which recently reported an increase in cyber attacks targeting the manufacturing sector. These reports underscore the urgent need for manufacturing organisations to take a holistic approach to cybersecurity, ensuring that internal risks are given as much attention as external threats.

Manufacturers in the UK can take several steps to prevent cybersecurity breaches and strengthen their resilience:

1. Strengthen Employee Awareness & Training

• Implement regular cybersecurity training to educate employees on threats like phishing and social engineering.

• Foster a culture of security awareness, emphasising that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, not just the IT team's job.

• Conduct simulated cyber attack exercises to test and improve response times.

2. Implement Strong Access Controls

• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect sensitive systems.

• Enforce role-based access controls (RBAC), ensuring employees only have access to necessary systems.

• Regularly review and update user access permissions.

3. Secure Legacy Systems

• Identify and patch vulnerabilities in older systems where possible.

• Use network segmentation to isolate legacy systems from critical infrastructure.

• Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor abnormal activity.

4. Protect Against Ransomware & Malware

• Regularly backup critical data and store copies securely offline.

• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify and neutralise threats.

• Implement email filtering and anti-phishing tools to block malicious emails.

5. Monitor and Respond to Threats Proactively

• Set up a Security Operations Center (SOC)—in-house or outsourced—to monitor and analyse threats.

• Use AI-driven threat detection to identify unusual patterns before breaches occur.

• Develop and regularly update an incident response plan to minimise downtime and damage.

6. Strengthen Supply Chain Cybersecurity

• Conduct risk assessments for third-party vendors and partners.

• Require cybersecurity compliance from suppliers, ensuring they meet UK security standards.

• Monitor for vulnerabilities in Internet of Things (IoT) devices used in manufacturing processes.

7. Enforce AI & Data Security Policies

• Clearly define and communicate AI usage policies to employees.

• Restrict unauthorised AI and data-sharing applications within the workplace.

• Regularly audit AI and automation tools for potential security gaps.

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