Five security trends manufacturers need to be aware of

By Sean Galea-Pace
The manufacturing industry is one of the primary targets for mobile attack...

In fact, 41% of manufacturing companies admitted to suffering a mobile-related compromise with 67% of those saying the impact was major -Verizon Mobile Security Index 2020. 

The reason for that has to do with the way the Manufacturing industry operates. The industry relies on mobile devices and cloud solutions to effectively transition products from the design studio to the shop floor. Providing plenty of opportunities for ill-intentioned hackers to access valuable data.

To better understand the modern threat landscape and the most recent trends facing Manufacturers, download the full whitepaper: How manufacturers can mitigate mobile phishing risks

Five security threat trends manufacturers need to be aware of: 

1. Mobile phishing and malware on the rise Mobile phishing is the primary way malicious actors trick people into downloading malware. Tactics have evolved beyond email phishing to target users via SMS and messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Messenger, even dating apps. An analysis of nearly 200 million devices carried out by Lookout suggests that Manufacturers in Europe are 46% more likely to encounter a phishing attack than their peers in the rest of the world. Learn more.

2. The shift to remote work creates new risks

23% of organizations said cybersecurity incidents have increased since transitioning to remote work, according to the cybersecurity firm (ISC)². More personal devices than ever before are connecting to company networks. And because all of us are using mobile devices for both personal and professional purposes – any attack on a personal device is a threat to the organization’s data. Learn more.

3. Digital safety concerns in a cloud-driven world Manufacturers have embraced software-as-a-service (SaaS) for productivity and collaboration. The benefits are many however, it has opened sensitive data up to greater cyber risk. Credential abuse is the top attack-vector for SaaS and cloud apps. In fact, a survey by Osterman Research highlights that 40% of organizations say their Microsoft Office 365 account credentials have been compromised. Learn more.

4. Third-party risk

The more, the risker. An expansive supply chain puts manufacturers at greater third-party risk. According to a recent report from Deloitte, 28% of manufacturers admitted to having a security breach involving 3rd party data. Learn more.

5. Protecting Intellectual Property

The manufacturing industry remains one of the primary targets for mobile attack due to highly valuable intellectual property (IP). 87% of manufacturers are concerned about competitors or cybercriminals stealing their trade secrets or intellectual property according to the Verizon Mobile Security Index, 2020. Learn more.

Every smartphone and tablet should be treated as a potential source of threat. Whether it is in the hands of an engineer, a business development executive, or the HVAC service person. Adopting a security solution that adheres to a Zero Trust model, whereby the health of all mobile devices are monitored in real-time, will ensure your organization’s data is secure. Lean how you can mitigate the risk of a data breach from a mobile device at lookout.com

Lookout is offering a 90 day free trial of the leading mobile security application. Get it here.

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