INDUSTRY 4.0 / SMART FACTORIES
PROTECTING THE INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS (IIOT) FROM
CYBERATTACK By Joe Lomako,
Business Development Manager (IoT), TÜV SÜD
As manufacturing processes are becoming more automated and sophisticated, the IIoT offers significant advantages
H
owever, this increased connectivity also means that the critical infrastructure of production facilities is more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Businesses must proactively address the risks that potentially threaten them. This requires an ongoing investment in cybersecurity and a holistic planning approach. Manufacturers can then better manage cybersecurity risks, mitigate attacks and avoid costly product recalls, design changes and heavy penalties associated with data security breaches. Preventative and proactive security measures should begin in the design phase, adopting the principle of ‘Secure by Design’. However, without a clear understanding and the right prioritisation of risks, it is impossible to identify the relevant security requirements for either the product being manufactured or the manufacturer’s IIoT systems. An assessment of the business impact and processes, and probability of risks should, therefore, be conducted. Risks can also be minimised through
continuous monitoring of IT and OT infrastructure security. For example, it is all too common for companies to neglect equipment that is no longer being used and fail to disconnect it. This ‘shadow IT/OT’ creates potential cyberattack gaps, particularly if the software is no longer supported. The risks can be minimised by monitoring IT/OT infrastructure security, and decommissioning equipment and software that is no longer required.
EVALUATE VULNERABILITIES Once risks are understood, the next step is to evaluate hardware and software as these represent a typical vulnerability surface. The foundation of a secure product is the testing of individual components against requirements
determined by the risk assessment. As security add-on after product development, every aspect of the product must be assessed for vulnerabilities. This includes device hardware, wireless communication modules and applications. An end-to-end and continuous validation process should also be performed to determine the attack resilience of individual components and support services. Beyond embedding security into the products themselves, it is also important to consider end-user behaviour. Such an approach should include unintended misuse by the end-user and ensuring that they are made aware of potential issues through proactive education. There are new regulatory instruments such as the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 Directive (security of network & information systems) in Europe, which is intended to improve the cybersecurity of products and infrastructure. Other standards also exist or are being developed by international organisations. Although it may seem that the standards do not cover everything, they do at fairly recently nothing with a focussed scope previously existed. Manufacturers should, therefore, also consider their own cybersecurity programmes. For example, a starting point would be:
• Think ‘Secure by Design’ and take a proactive approach to cybersecurity recognising that attacks are ‘when, not if’.
• Ensure up to date compliance with all standards.
• Constantly review ‘cyber resistance’ status. • Expect to be attacked
As Industry 4.0 and the IIoT advance,
systems and installations will become increasingly interconnected on a global scale. While digitisation and the increasing
14 OCTOBER 2025 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS TÜV SÜD
www.tuvsud.com/en
connectivity provided by the IoT bring enormous opportunities, unforeseen risks and serious vulnerabilities can be exploited by new forms of cybercrime. Both industrial system security and the security of wireless products which manufacturers produce will, therefore, become increasingly critical. Cybercriminals are constantly seeking to hack
into the critical infrastructure of connected production facilities. As the IIoT is becoming increasingly wireless, every wireless-enabled product that is manufactured represents a potential threat to data security and privacy Ongoing investment in cybersecurity is
therefore crucial to keep pace with technological development, as cybercriminals rapidly develop new forms of attack to exploit these vulnerabilities. As devices, systems and processes become
increasingly digitised and interconnected, the Industrial IIoT opens a wealth of opportunities by implementing new technologies which improve However, although these technologies provide this advanced functionality, they also present potential cyberattack weaknesses. Tackling the problems of cybersecurity risks requires comprehensive planning, periodic evaluation, updates and monitoring. This must be a continuous process, from a piece of equipment’s initial design through to obsolescence. With cyberattacks in the IIoT being a case of ‘when, not if’, manufacturers should ensure that they are fully up to date with compliance requirements and are constantly reviewing the ‘cyber resistance’ status of their systems.
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