CYBER SECURITY MARCH 2019
THE INFORMATION
SUPPLY CHAIN
As companies become more tech-focused, it’s important to be acutely
aware of the cyber threats this new-found glut of information can bring
BY HARJ SINGH, FOUNDER AND CEO, ARISTI
In an ever-developing world of connected
devices, Internet of Things (IoT), Industry
4.0 and the growing threat of cyber warfare,
data protection and cyber security pose real
challenges to manufacturers.
With UK manufacturing soon to be driven by
innovation to compete on a global level (thanks
at least in part to Brexit), it is important that you
have the fundamentals of data protection and
cyber security embedded into your organisation’s
practice. This will ensure eff ective safeguarding of
customer data and intellectual property.
Revealing the scale of the challenge, the recent
Make UK/AIG Cyber Security for Manufacturing
report highlights that 48% of British manufacturers
have been exposed to a cyber attack with almost
half of those experiencing a loss as a result.
Data storage and handling
Most manufacturers are at the highest risk with
the information they have to share. In the post-
GDPR landscape, manufacturers are required
to declare the personal data they hold to the
Information Commissioner’s Offi ce (ICO) and
their reasons for holding it,
demonstrating customers’
ongoing permission for this.
As a manufacturer, your data
collection is often a lengthy
process – for example, when data
is curated and analysed following
the delivery of a product.
Particularly in the automotive
sector, customer data helps you
understand how your product
is working, identify any design
fl aws and inform improvements
for the next model or play an
instrumental role in recalls.
Manufacturers commonly
have a complex chain of
information which needs to be
handled eff ectively, meaning
that GDPR compliance can be
diffi cult. However, GDPR brings
the importance of the way we
deal with cyber security and
customer information to the fore
– ensuring we’re prepared with
the foundations needed to begin
to compete on a global scale.
Cyber security and the
manufacturing sector
A recent IASCA survey
exploring cyber security and
the risks to manufacturing
suggested that smaller
manufacturers in particular
play a pivotal role in securing
the supply chain, and highlights
their key areas of strength and
weakness:
26 www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
stock.adobe.com/vegefox.com
48%
of UK manufacturers
have been exposed
to a cyber attack
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
/vegefox.com