Cybersecurity is important for manufacturing because it helps protect the integrity and availability of industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) that are used to control and monitor manufacturing processes.
Manufacturing industries rely heavily on ICS and OT systems, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, to automate and control production lines and other critical infrastructure. These systems are responsible for controlling and monitoring everything from factory floor equipment to the supply chain and logistics. If these systems are compromised, it can lead to loss of production, damage to equipment and even safety hazards for employees and the environment or people outside the plant or facility.
Cyber-attacks on manufacturing industries can also lead to intellectual property theft, financial loss and damage to the organization's reputation. Therefore, it is crucial for manufacturing organizations to have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect against cyber-attacks and ensure the safe and reliable operation of their industrial systems and processes.