Manufacturing Sector Suffers Highest Web Attacks

The manufacturing sector has witnessed a significant increase in web attacks targeting Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), making it one of the most vulnerable industries to such cyber threats. API attacks have become a pressing concern for manufacturers .

Manufacturing plays a vital role in global supply chains. Disrupting these can have a ripple effect across many industries, making them more susceptible to ransomware attacks. The industry is undergoing rapid digital transformation, with many processes being digitized and interconnected.

As a result, there is a proliferation of APIs used to facilitate communication between different systems and devices within manufacturing environments. Modern manufacturing heavily relies on interconnected systems, including Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT) networks. These systems manage critical infrastructure and processes, making them attractive targets for attackers. cyber criminals delivered a wave of cyber attacks that were not just highly coordinated, but far more frequent and advanced than ever before seen.

Secondly, the APIs enable software, systems, and devices to communicate with one another, and are vital to most organizations because they have improved both employee and customer experiences. APIs are highly valuable to manufacturers as they enable the use of Industrial Internet of Things devices to increase efficiency, accelerate production, and enable real-time management of factories and inventories.

The most important thing is as many manufacturing organizations operate legacy systems that may lack robust security features or receive limited updates and support. These legacy systems may include outdated APIs that are more vulnerable to exploitation by cyber attackers.

Unfortunately, this digital innovation and the rapid expansion of the API economy have presented cybercriminals with new opportunities for exploitation. Successful attacks against APJ manufacturers can cause serious repercussions worldwide, given Asia’s crucial role as a global manufacturing hub.

Finally, the manufacturing sector is mostly at risk, having suffered the most API-targeted attacks across industries, attracting nearly one out of three (31.2 percent) of all web attacks. Additionally, some operational systems may not be patched or updated as frequently, creating openings for attackers.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA