Cybersecurity threats against manufacturers are not just increasing — they are evolving faster than many organizations can defend themselves. According to a recent Dark Reading analysis, manufacturers continue to be the top target for cyberattacks in 2025, driven by persistent security gaps, limited expertise, and increasing operational complexity. Dark Reading
This trend has significant implications for businesses of all sizes. If your organization relies on traditional endpoint defenses that focus on detecting threats and responding after an attack has occurred, it is time to reassess your strategy.
Below, we explore the dangerous threat landscape manufacturers face in 2025 and why moving away from “detect and respond” toward proactive isolation and containment is essential — especially using proven solutions like AppGuard.
Attackers Know You Can’t Afford Downtime
Manufacturers are an appealing target for financially motivated threat actors because operational disruptions directly translate into lost revenue and reputational damage. In 2025, 51% of manufacturing organizations experienced ransomware attacks, and over half paid the ransom — with average payouts around $1 million and recovery costs reaching another $1.3 million on average.
These incidents are not anomalies. High-profile attacks, like those disrupting production at Jaguar Land Rover and causing supply shortages for Asahi Group Holdings, highlight how crippling ransomware can be to firms that depend on continuous operations.
Exploited Vulnerabilities Overtake Other Vectors
For the first time in three years, exploited software vulnerabilities have become the leading cause of breaches in manufacturing environments, surpassing previously dominant vectors like malicious email and compromised credentials.
This shift reflects a broader challenge: the rapid pace of digital transformation in manufacturing. As companies adopt automation, AI, and interconnected operational technologies, the attack surface expands — often faster than defenses can keep up.
Lack of Expertise Makes Things Worse
Many manufacturing firms struggle with cybersecurity talent shortages and inadequate threat preparedness. According to experts cited in the Dark Reading article, the top reasons manufacturers fall victim to attacks include:
Limited security expertise
Unidentified cybersecurity gaps
A failure to adopt essential protections
These weaknesses make manufacturers “low-hanging fruit” for attackers who know that even short outages can have enormous business consequences.
For years, many organizations relied on antivirus, endpoint detection, and response (EDR) solutions that focus on identifying threats and reacting once they appear. While detection and response can play a role, this reactive model leaves critical gaps, especially against modern threats such as:
Ransomware and ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), which can encrypt or exfiltrate data in minutes
AI-augmented attacks, which can automate vulnerability scanning and exploit discovery
Zero-day and unknown threats that will always evade signature-based detection
In the face of these threats, merely saying “we will detect it and respond” is no longer a viable defense strategy. Attackers have the advantage of time, automation, and sophistication — forcing businesses to rethink how they protect their most critical assets.
Instead of waiting to see an attack and then reacting, organizations must adopt a proactive posture that prevents malicious code from executing in the first place. This is where AppGuard’s approach to isolation and containment is fundamentally different.
Unlike detection-based tools, AppGuard:
Stops threats before they execute by constraining how software behaves
Is effective against known and unknown attacks, including zero-day threats
Protects both IT and operational technology (OT) environments in manufacturing
Eliminates the dependency on threat signatures and alerts
For over ten years, AppGuard has demonstrated enterprise-level success protecting organizations against the very threats targeting manufacturers today — from ransomware to advanced persistent threats (APTs). Its patented isolation technology ensures that even if an attacker gains initial access, malicious actions are contained and cannot disrupt operations.
If your company is in manufacturing or any other industry with critical operations, you cannot wait until an attack happens. The cost of ransomware, system outages, and reputational damage can dwarf the investment in proactive cybersecurity.
Here are key reasons to consider AppGuard now:
Real prevention, not just detection
Protection that does not rely on signatures or prior knowledge
Reduces the need for incident response chaos
Enables safer digital transformation and AI adoption
Defends both IT and OT environments seamlessly
The cybersecurity landscape for manufacturers in 2025 is more dangerous than ever, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. The Dark Reading article makes it clear that attackers are exploiting gaps, business leaders lack expertise, and traditional defenses are no longer sufficient.
If you are ready to move beyond detect and respond toward true isolation and containment, let’s talk.
Business owners: connect with us at CHIPS to learn how AppGuard can prevent these types of incidents and protect your organization’s critical systems. AppGuard delivers a proven, proactive defense strategy that stops threats before they take hold. Contact us today to strengthen your cybersecurity posture and protect your business against evolving cyber threats.
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