How to keep technology and data secure while embracing Industry 4.0

By Simon Thomas, SMART Digital Accelerator
Thursday, February 2, 2023

Understanding how to protect new technologies through cybersecurity is crucial for long-term businesssuccess

More companies than ever are embracing the fourth industrial revolution. Better known as Industry 4.0, this new chapter for manufacturing introduces the rapid adoption of technology, making factories smarter through a variety of advanced tools and processes.

While Industry 4.0 practices have become standard for large organisations, SMEs are also beginning to take advantage of these new opportunities. Yet as transformative as Industry 4.0 technologies can be, there’s also a degree of risk that’s often misunderstood or overlooked.

Key differences between IT and OT cybersecurity

Information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) take different approaches when it comes to protecting digital equipment.

IT operators must constantly learn to keep up with developing platforms. A company’s value is often linked with the information and intellectual property stored within its system network. For this reason, the primary security concern for IT is the confidentiality, integrity and availability that surrounds such data.

OT operators, on the other hand, are often concerned with maintaining systems that use legacy equipment. This is due to the high cost of replacement and the slow process of transitioning to a system with new requirements. Industrial control systems often contain known vulnerabilities because there are rarely opportunities for system downtime, and because equipment replacement is only considered when necessary. As a result, OT cybersecurity’s main responsibility is the reliability and safety of control systems and communication equipment.

Common cyber threats: weak passwords and phishing

A consistent, collective approach is essential for strong cybersecurity – by implementing the same key behaviours, team members protect both themselves and the businesses they work for.

Successful cyber attacks can often be traced back to a few common threats. One of these is weak passwords. Every year, millions have their identities stolen, passwords compromised or confidential information breached because of weak or recurring passwords. Since we’re so reliant on technology, equipping the workforce with best practices to defend against cyber threats is vital, and this includes setting guidelines for strong passwords.

Phishing is another common cyber threat. This uses well-known formats including email, social media and direct messaging applications to deceive people into unconsciously giving away personal information or putting their devices at risk. Looking for signals of inauthenticity is vital to defend against phishing attempts. This might include checking that an email address is trusted, assessing whether a message you’ve received is relevant to your recent activity or recognising when something you’ve been told is simply too good to be true.

Cybersecurity essentials: be resilient, organised and proactive

Cyber attacks can be devastating, so knowing how to defend against them is vital for both businesses and individuals. Here are three key takeaways that all organisations and their teams can learn from.

Be resilient.经历一场网络攻击被视为其中的一个worst things that can happen to a business. While it’s not nice to imagine being hacked, businesses should be prepared for a worst-case scenario in case it does happen. For example, having a plan to disrupt cyber attackers in their pursuit can help to ensure that as much business data as possible remains protected. Creating a strategy to maintain the safety of critical networks is also important, so that any affected areas can be recovered in case of a cyber attack

Be organised.Staying organised isn’t just the responsibility of company management – it’s something everyone needs to take accountability for. Businesses should maintain a company-wide document that covers what information security involves and what it means for the company’s business data. Policies explaining cyber awareness and outlining the steps to take in the event of an incident should also be implemented.

Be proactive.Protecting digital equipment and data should never be an afterthought. Keeping backups of data is a proactive way to ensure that it isn’t lost in the case of a cyber attack. Ensuring that software and systems are updated whenever possible while managing access of who can use particular equipment is also important. Cyber awareness training can considerably improve a business’ chances of keeping systems secure. When employees understand online security, they’ll be in a much better position to keep your technology protected.

SMART Digital Accelerator’s expert advisers are drawn from industry and academia to work with manufacturers in Wales, helping them identify the right technology to boost their bottom line.

The project is funded by Welsh Government, delivered by UWTSD, and supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Cymru (AMRC Cymru). There is no financial cost to the business.

进一步的信息

accelerator@www.guaguababy.com