Fractional CISO for Manufacturing
Securing Industry 4.0 operations from cyber threats that can halt production
Cybersecurity Leadership for Manufacturing
Manufacturing has undergone a digital revolution. Industry 4.0 technologies - connected machinery, automated production lines, robotics, and IoT sensors - have transformed factory floors into sophisticated cyber-physical systems. While this drives efficiency, it also creates unprecedented cyber risk where digital attacks can cause physical damage.
The UK's manufacturing sector faces a perfect storm of threats. Ransomware gangs have discovered that halting production lines is highly profitable - downtime can cost £50,000+ per hour. State-sponsored actors target manufacturers for intellectual property theft and supply chain disruption. And the convergence of IT and operational technology (OT) creates new attack vectors that traditional IT security cannot address.
Yet many manufacturers lack security leadership. Smaller firms often have no dedicated security function at all. Even larger manufacturers may have IT security teams without the specialised knowledge to protect industrial control systems (ICS). The sector needs CISOs who understand both enterprise IT security and the unique challenges of manufacturing environments.
OT/ICS Expertise
Our CISOs understand industrial control systems, SCADA networks, and the unique security challenges of operational technology environments.
Production-Focused Security
Security that protects without disrupting production. We understand that uptime is paramount and security must enable, not hinder, manufacturing operations.
Manufacturing Under Attack
Real incidents where manufacturers suffered breaches that a CISO could have prevented
Norsk Hydro (2019)
$71M losses, 35,000 employees affected
The aluminium giant was hit by LockerGoga ransomware that encrypted 22,000 computers and forced manual operations. A CISO would have implemented network segmentation between IT and OT, robust backup systems, and incident response capabilities to contain the attack.
JBS Foods (2021)
$11M ransom paid, UK plants halted
The world's largest meat processor had production halted across multiple countries including the UK. A CISO would have established security monitoring, privileged access management, and segmentation to prevent lateral movement by attackers.
Colonial Pipeline (2021)
$4.4M ransom, fuel shortages
While US-based, this demonstrated how critical infrastructure attacks affect supply chains. A CISO would have ensured proper VPN security, multi-factor authentication, and OT network isolation to prevent IT compromises affecting operational systems.
Eurofins Scientific (2019)
Police forensic work delayed for weeks
The forensic services firm suffered a ransomware attack that affected police laboratories across the UK. A CISO would have implemented comprehensive backup strategies and disaster recovery planning to minimise operational disruption.
Honda (2020)
Global production halted
The Snake ransomware attack forced Honda to halt production at plants worldwide. A CISO would have established endpoint detection and response (EDR), network monitoring, and incident response procedures to detect and stop attacks before they spread.
Iranian Steel Mills Attack (2022)
Production lines physically damaged
Hackers caused physical damage to steel production equipment by manipulating industrial control systems. A CISO with OT expertise would implement safety systems, network segmentation, and anomaly detection to prevent cyber-physical attacks.
Critical Risks in Manufacturing
The threats that can halt production and damage competitive advantage
Ransomware
Manufacturers pay ransoms quickly because production downtime costs far more than the ransom demand.
OT/IT Convergence
Connecting factory floors to enterprise networks creates pathways for attackers to reach critical control systems.
Intellectual Property Theft
Designs, formulas, and manufacturing processes are valuable targets for competitors and nation-states.
Supply Chain Disruption
Just-in-time manufacturing means any supplier compromise can halt your entire production line.
Secure Your Manufacturing Operations
Cyber threats to manufacturing are growing, but you don't need a full-time CISO to defend against them. Our fractional CISOs bring manufacturing and OT security expertise.