Manufacturing is officially in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. According to a recent article published by Manufacturing.net, two separate reports confirm that manufacturing has become the number one target for ransomware attacks. This should raise alarms across the industry—not just for IT departments, but for every executive, business owner, and plant manager involved in keeping operations running.
The findings are based on dual reports from Dragos and IBM X-Force. While Dragos identified ransomware as the leading cause of industrial cybersecurity incidents in 2023, IBM’s data highlights that manufacturing topped all other sectors for the third year in a row in terms of ransomware attacks.
This isn’t just a cybersecurity problem—it’s a business continuity crisis.
Why Manufacturers?
Cybercriminals are drawn to manufacturing for a few key reasons:
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High operational downtime costs: Attackers know that even a few hours offline can cost manufacturers millions in lost productivity.
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Legacy systems: Many manufacturers still rely on outdated infrastructure that lacks modern security architecture.
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Complex supply chains: One breach can ripple through interconnected networks, affecting vendors and customers alike.
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Low tolerance for disruption: Production lines must keep moving. This urgency often leads to quick ransom payments rather than prolonged recovery efforts.
These vulnerabilities make manufacturers easy—and lucrative—targets. And as long as traditional defenses remain the norm, attackers will keep coming.
The Problem with “Detect and Respond”
Most cybersecurity strategies in the industrial sector rely on the “detect and respond” model. These systems depend on identifying a threat after it enters the network and then scrambling to contain the damage.
But today’s ransomware moves faster than defenders can respond. With tools like AI-generated malware, polymorphic code, and fileless attacks, threat actors are outpacing detection systems. Even the best monitoring tools often catch breaches after files have been encrypted and systems locked down.
Detection is no longer enough.
Isolation and Containment: A New Defense Philosophy
What manufacturers need is a fundamental shift—from trying to detect threats after they've entered the system to preventing them from executing in the first place. This is where AppGuard comes in.
AppGuard is not another detection tool. It’s a proven endpoint protection solution with a 10-year track record of successfully stopping ransomware and zero-day attacks before they cause damage.
Here’s how:
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Isolation: AppGuard prevents untrusted applications and processes from affecting other parts of the system, even if they're running.
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Containment: Instead of waiting to spot malware, AppGuard proactively blocks malicious actions—without needing to recognize the specific strain.
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No signature updates: AppGuard doesn’t rely on known threat patterns, making it immune to zero-day vulnerabilities and rapidly evolving malware.
This proactive, prevention-first approach makes AppGuard ideal for complex and high-stakes environments like manufacturing.
Proven Protection in Real Time
AppGuard’s approach has already been battle-tested in some of the most sensitive environments, including government and defense sectors. Now available for commercial use, AppGuard brings the same protection to private industry—particularly manufacturers who can’t afford downtime.
With AppGuard, manufacturers can:
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Operate confidently knowing ransomware can’t lock up production.
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Reduce cybersecurity insurance premiums by demonstrating robust protection.
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Avoid costly ransom payments and reputational damage.
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Keep legacy systems safe without needing expensive overhauls.
Don’t Wait for a Breach to Change Your Strategy
The latest reports from Dragos and IBM X-Force make one thing clear: ransomware isn’t just a risk—it’s a certainty for unprotected manufacturers. If you're still relying on detection-based cybersecurity, you're playing a dangerous game of catch-up.
It's time to take control.
Talk to CHIPS today about how AppGuard can protect your manufacturing operations before ransomware strikes. Let’s move from "Detect and Respond" to "Isolation and Containment"—and stop ransomware before it even starts.
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