The manufacturing industry has seen a myriad of exciting tech developments in the last few years, helping to aid productivity, efficiency, and the overall capabilities of a business. But all this new tech can cause cyber security concerns to arise.

Manufacturing continues to be a target for cyber-attackers, and with 45% of manufacturers feeling like they don’t have access to the right tools to protect themselves from a cyber-attack, it is now more important than ever that manufacturers put procedures in place. We’ve rounded up our top five manufacturing cyber tips to help keep your business as cyber safe as possible.

Source: Cerasis

1. Ensure All Employees Have Cyber Security Training

It is vital that all members within your team receive regular cyber security training. When dealing with high tech equipment on a daily basis, it is crucial that employees are comfortable using certain tech and can identify and report any cyber security concerns quickly and efficiently. Being familiar with the technology and operating systems that are being used will ensure anything out of the ordinary can be flagged and dealt with in the correct way.

2. Update Your Protection Software

While it may seem obvious to install antivirus programmes, it is vital that all internet connected devices within a network are protected. Make sure antivirus software and intrusion detection software are regularly updated and deployed across your network. Automate this process where possible to make sure updates are done as soon as possible. It is important that any updates are done quickly as these will plug any holes or fix any errors that have been found.

3. Don’t Forget Your IIOT

Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technologies are becoming commonplace in most UK manufacturing businesses. Whether you’ve got large pieces of machinery, connected sensors, or personal protection wearable devices, they all must be protected. These devices can often be forgotten when considering cyber security. We suggest adopting the mindset of if it’s got an internet connection, it can be hacked and therefore needs protecting!

4. Back Up Key Data and Programmes

In the event that a breach or error should occur, it is important that all files, data, and operating programmes are backed up and able to be recovered. In the manufacturing industry, data loss can bring your business to a halt, causing expensive downtime. Making sure everything is backed up and accessible should the worst happen could save a lot of time and money. We suggest you consider opting for an external data centre, these can be managed by an expert company and can keep your data safe should your network be accessed.

5. Think Like a Hackers

When it comes to manufacturing cyber tips, we recommend putting yourself in the shoes of a hacker. This may sound strange, but the best way to protect yourself from a hacker is to understand their motivations. Look at your business and identify any key areas, devices, or assets that would be of interest to a hacker. Cybercriminals are generally inspired by financial gains, so any data containing personal information, customer records, or actual cash is what they’ll be after. We recommend setting up multi-factor authentication as well as restricting access to just those employees who require it. These actions will help limit the opportunities for accessing valuable data and add an extra layer of protection.

Here at Probado, we regularly work with manufacturers to ensure their systems are safe and can operate at the highest level across all sites. For more manufacturing cyber tips, check out our blog on how to avoid manufacturing security risks.

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Spot the difference

While they sound similar and are both practices using the same techniques, ethical and unethical hacking should not be confused. An ethical hacker is legitimately hacking your system to find any issues or areas of weakness. Unethical hackers are hacking your system to cause trouble, steal data and/or information or to try and extort funds from your business. The use of ethical hacking can actually prevent unethical hackers from gaining access to your network and devices.

A common misconception with ethical hacking is the legality behind it, many individuals believe that hacking of all types is an illegal practice. However, that is not the case. Ethical hacking is perfectly legal. IT Governance explains that ethical hackers ‘have the same knowledge and tools as a criminal hacker, but their work is conducted in a lawful manner’.

Why do it?

It may sound counterproductive, employing people to hack your business. However, this can be a crucial defence mechanism in protecting your business. Ethical hackers will notify you of any weak spots, unprotected areas, or easy ways that malicious hackers can take advantage of and gain access to your network. This will allow you to patch these holes and add technical armour to any areas of weakness before a product goes to market or a system into use. Ethical hacking does what it says on the tin, it is the practice of hacking systems and devices in an ethical manner. It can also be referred to as penetration testing, trying to penetrate a system to test its defences.

Ethical hacking has been around since the early days of the internet. According to Medium.com, the United States Air Force used ethical hacking procedures to evaluate the security of an operating system which unearthed some vulnerable software and hardware. This then allowed them to fix the problem before the system was put into use.

Covering all bases

When engaging an ethical hacker, it is important that you have a clear brief. Be sure to specify which devices you wish to be tested or if it is the full network. We recommend testing the entire network, your individual devices may be secure but when operating with a company-wide network it is vital that all devices, systems, and applications are safe. Your business is only as strong as your weakest device or system.

If that still sounds too good to be true, check out Packt’s examples of successful ethical hacking missions here.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with a member of our team.

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Strong Passwords

A strong password is essential for staying safe on social media. Weak passwords can often be the window cybercriminals use to gain access to social media accounts. This means they can access any information posted or stored on the site. Make passwords complex and don’t include personal or widely known information such as your name or office address. Enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible to ensure maximum security. This means having two or more layers of protection, for example a password and an additional PIN number sent to your mobile phone.

Use different passwords for each social media platform. This will ensure that if one account is compromised it will limit the potential risks across other accounts. For more tips on how to create and maintain strong passwords for your business, click here.

Don’t Share Personal Information

You wouldn’t stick a poster with all of your bank details on in a busy shop window, so why put them on social media? Lots of businesses are now using social media to help advertise their products and services, which can be a great tool to help get your brand noticed. While it may be easier to tick a box and save your bank details for the next time you run a campaign, we recommend that you do not do this. If for some reason your account is compromised, all of this information could be taken and used elsewhere. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Be wary of any details you choose to link to your social media accounts. If it isn’t direct contact or banking details, it might be personal details that could be used to guess a password or work out your security questions.

Privacy Settings

Privacy settings are there to keep you safe. Most social media sites allow you to decide what information is public or private on your account, including contact details and locations.

We recommend checking your settings regularly to ensure your privacy is respected even when the platform changes its rules. All platforms should inform you if anything changes with their privacy policies, but it is best to keep an eye on it yourself and manage what information is publicly available.

Keep Antivirus Up-to-date

Treat social media like you would any other website or app that can be subject to attack by cybercriminals. Make sure your antivirus programmes are up to date on all devices across your network. You may not think antivirus software does very much, but it is constantly running in the background, working hard to keep you safe.

Social media sites can be informative and helpful, but some individuals will use these channels to share fake news and bad links. Using an antivirus software will help protect you from straying into dark corners of the worldwide web.

Social media can be a great platform for businesses; however, there are risks and individuals that exist who will try to exploit these channels. The best way to ensure you and your employees are staying safe on social media is to regularly update training so everyone knows how to spot suspicious activity and is comfortable reporting it. Make sure you have a social media policy in place to make employees aware of best practices while using these channels.

For more information on how to keep your business safe, get in touch with a member of our team here.

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1. Hacker

The word hacker can instantly conjure up images of masked criminals using complex codes to steal data from a computer. While the term ‘hacker’ is correct for this individual it is also a wider term used to describe those who possess the skills to gain unauthorised access to computer systems. These are not necessarily bad guys. Many software and tech companies actually employ hackers to test software and identify areas of weakness so they can be fixed.

2. Phishing

Not to be confused with the pastime using bait and rods, phishing is a term for an online scam. Merriam-Webster defines phishing as a ‘scam by which an internet user is duped into revealing personal or confidential information which the scammer can use illicitly’. A common example of this is a fraudulent email pretending to be a bank aiming to obtain bank details to then hack, blackmail or steal money.

3. Malware

The clue to malware is in the name, ‘mal’ comes from malicious and ‘ware’ from software. Malware is just that, malicious software. Viruses, spyware and Trojan horses are all various types of malware and should be protected against as much as possible. The easiest way to protect against malware is to simply be careful online. Be wary of unusual emails, strange pop-ups and alerts, and odd-looking downloads.

4. Patching

Patching can mean a number of different things, including fixing the hole in that old pair of jeans! When it comes to cyber security, patching is a very similar process. The National Cyber Security Centre defines patching as ‘applying updates to devices or software to improve security and/or enhance functionality’’.

5. Encryption

The term encryption gets thrown around a lot when it comes to cyber security, but do you know what it actually means? According to Tom’s Guide, encryption refers to ‘a process used to make sensitive data more secure’. This means converting the data into a code that wouldn’t make sense to most. Another term that you should be aware of is cryptography. This is the term for the science behind encrypting and decrypting data.

6. VPN

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a way to safely surf the web on a public internet connection. A VPN hides your IP (internet protocol) address so that your online activities are hidden from view and safe on a potentially harmful network. Online security firm Norton describes the process as a ‘data tunnel between your local network and an exit node in another location’.

7. Firewall

Forcepoint defines a firewall as ‘a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing traffic’. A firewall has the ability to block or deny access to any traffic that is deemed harmful or seems a little bit ‘phishy’. Think of it as a security guard for your device, monitoring anything attempting to gain access.

8. Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock users out of devices or accounts and effectively hold them for ransom. Hackers will demand money or something else of value to allow the user to regain access again to their device or account. Ransomware can enter a device through a comprised website or a dodgy download. This is why firewalls and antivirus software are so important as they can attempt to stop these harmful files before they gain access.

9. Clickjacking

Clickjacking is a particularly sneaky way that hackers (the bad kind) will get a user to download malware or inadvertently click through to a harmful website. This is done by disguising an element on a web page as something else or creating an invisible element that users won’t even realise is there. A form of clickjacking is ‘likejacking’, which according to Imperva is a ‘technique in which the Facebook like button is manipulated, causing users to like a page or post they did not intent to’.

10. Pen-testing

Short for ‘penetration testing’, pen-testing can also be referred to as ethical hacking. This is a process where trained hackers will attempt to penetrate a system to look for weaknesses that cyber criminals could potentially manipulate. Described by ITGovernance.co.uk as ‘a controlled form of hacking’ pen-testing is a great way to test systems, updates, firewalls and overall security. Many companies will employ ethical hackers that will regularly attempt to access systems to ensure that they are on top of their cyber security and can patch any holes as quickly as possible!

When it comes to cyber security jargon there can be a lot of confusion, so it’s no surprise that users get confused and put off and end up leaving themselves at risk. However, the majority of problems can usually be fixed by ensuring staff training is up to date. With all the jargon and ever-evolving systems and technology, educating staff on key skills and processes is often missed. A business could have the best tools and the most expensive systems but if staff don’t know how to properly use these systems and aren’t aware of potential treats and how to report them, the door could be left wide open.

Here at Probado we aim to avoid the techno-babble and ensure you know exactly what is going on with your IT and how to operate it. If you’re unsure about some cyber security jargon or would like to know more about our training packages, get in touch with a member of our team here.

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