Manufacturers are entering 2026 with a bigger digital footprint than ever before: more connected production lines, more remote access, more supplier integrations and more data flowing between IT systems and operational technology (OT). That connectivity is a competitive advantage – until it becomes the path an attacker uses to stop your plant.
The good news: you don’t need a perfect security program to reduce risk fast. You need clarity about why manufacturing is so heavily targeted, what’s changed in the new year and a practical cybersecurity roadmap that fits manufacturing realities.
Read: 4 Strategies for Strengthening Cybersecurity in Manufacturing
Why Manufacturing Is a Top Target
Manufacturing environments are attractive to attackers because they combine several qualities cyber criminals love:
- High cost of downtime: When lines stop, downtime losses stack up quickly, such as missed shipments, penalties and reputational damage.
- Complex ecosystems: Plants rely on a mix of OT, modern industrial technology (the Internet of Things, smart sensors, robotics and digital twins), cloud platforms and third parties, all of which create more entry points for cyber criminals to enter.
- Operational urgency: The pressure to restore production can make teams more likely to pay ransoms or cut corners during response.
- Legacy systems: Many plants still rely on equipment built decades ago, some of which never had cybersecurity in mind. These systems can’t be patched easily, making them prime targets in 2026.
- Important intellectual property: Manufacturers handle and store massive amounts of intellectual property (IP), including proprietary designs, processes and blueprints.
Threat actors also understand that disruption is often more valuable than data theft. They don’t always need to exfiltrate sensitive IP; sometimes, they simply need to halt operations long enough to force a payout.
What’s Different in 2026
A few shifts are making cybersecurity strategy in 2026 feel different:
- IT/OT convergence is accelerating: IT and OT networks are becoming more integrated for visibility, predictive maintenance, analytics and centralized management. That’s great for productivity, but it means an IT compromise can more easily reach critical OT systems.
- Remote access is the new entry point: Vendors, integrators, maintenance teams and internal engineers increasingly need remote access to troubleshoot equipment and update systems. However, misconfigured remote access and shared credentials are common causes of cyber incidents.
- Ransomware has evolved to target IT: Ransomware is no longer only about encrypting data for financial gain. Many cyber criminals now specialize in quickly finding critical systems and disrupting production, dramatically increasing the pressure to pay a massive ransom.
- Supply chain risk is no longer theoretical: Manufacturers depend on a vast ecosystem of third-party suppliers, contractors and integrators. A single compromised partner can disrupt an entire production network.
- The weaponization of AI: Although AI is a powerful tool for predictive maintenance and quality control, threat actors are leveraging it to launch sophisticated, large-scale attacks, often by impersonating executives and authorizing fraudulent actions. They can also bypass traditional detection tools and find more weaknesses.
Read: Safeguarding Manufacturing Firms from Cyber Threats
What Cyber-Resilient Manufacturers Can Do in 2026
Forward-thinking manufacturers aren’t only reacting – they’re redesigning their security posture from the ground up.
- Zero-trust: “Never trust, always verify” is finally reaching the factory floor. Strong access controls, segmentation and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are becoming standard.
- Convergence of IT/OT teams: Unified teams now monitor both digital and physical systems in real time to detect any suspicious activity and anomalies before they disrupt operations.
- AI-powered threat detection: AI models help analyze sensor anomalies, machine behavior, network traffic and operational actions. This enables early detection of subtle attacks that humans would miss.
- Backup data regularly: Data backups can help protect against data loss and ransomware demands. Store multiple backups offline and on the cloud.
- Update software: Patch all IT systems and devices to ensure no vulnerabilities. If you can’t remember to update, implement automatic maintenance updates.
- Continuous cyber training: Human error remains the number one cause of breaches, so training is no longer optional. Educate staff on cyber threats and cybersecurity best practices.
Stay Secure with Thriveon
Manufacturing is entering a new era where digital and physical systems are becoming inseparable, and manufacturers that invest in cyber resilience can scale digital transformation with confidence. Thriveon can help firms with our robust proactive IT management, cybersecurity and Fractional CIO services.
Request a consultation now to ensure your factory remains a force for innovation, not disruption.