Cyberattacks are becoming a serious production risk for manufacturers. New research from Make UK shows that 30% of manufacturers have experienced a cyber incident in the past year. For an industry where time isn’t a luxury, that’s a concerning figure.

“The problem is that modern factories are more connected than ever. ERP systems, production lines, and suppliers all rely on each other to keep things moving. A breach in one part of that network can quickly bring production to a standstill, delay deliveries and hit the bottom line. And attackers know exactly how much pressure manufacturers are under to get operations running again.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that manufacturers need to look beyond their own systems and understand where they’re most exposed across the supply chain. That means knowing who has access to critical systems, tightening access controls and making sure there’s a clear plan in place if something goes wrong.

Technology also has a big role to play. Moving away from outdated legacy systems towards modern cloud-based ERP can help manufacturers strengthen security through regular updates, better monitoring, and tighter controls. Ultimately, if your systems go down, your shop floor goes down too. Cybersecurity must be treated as a fundamental part of keeping production running.