The UK’s manufacturing sector has been severely tested by cybersecurity attacks since the start of the pandemic, according to new research by Keeper Security. In fact, the 2021 Cybersecurity Census Report found the average manufacturing company experienced 30 cyberattacks during the past year alone, with 85% expecting that figure to increase over the coming 12 months.
It’s clear that the pandemic had a large impact on the manufacturing sector when it comes to cybersecurity, with nearly a third (30%) of manufacturers experiencing disruption to trade through successful cyberattacks and 28% also suffering disruption to supply chains. The effect of the pandemic has also resulted in businesses focusing their priorities across a host of different areas, with budgets pulled in multiple directions and only 39% of senior IT leaders able to prioritise IT as their number one investment.
This has led to gaps in cybersecurity provision, ranging from a lack of necessary skills to poor security hygiene. According to the research, 60% of employees don’t understand the cybersecurity implications of poor password hygiene. Just 24% also admit that they lack the skills to deal with cyberattacks and 58% believe the UK has a skills shortage among IT workers, directly impacting their company’s cybersecurity.
