Manufacturers' Production Up Due to IoT, But Cybersecurity Lacking, Says Report

Manufacturers’ plant production and equipment processes had productivity increases in the past year due to IoT integration, but 19 percent of participants in a study said they weren’t confident in their cybersecurity programs. That's according to a BDO report Monday saying many manufacturers are leaving cybersecurity and R&D financing out of their IoT strategies. Cyberattackers often exploit third-party vulnerabilities to gain access to their targets, leaving "dangerous" security gaps in manufacturers’ supplier networks, said BDO. Some 27 percent of manufacturers surveyed didn’t have a cybersecurity policy in place for supply-chain partners, it said. The study of 374 global manufacturers was done in November and December for consultant firm BDO by The MPI Group.