Cybersecurity is essential to business continuity as packaging manufacturers work to prevent production disruptions, protect operations and strengthen resilience.
By Chuck Schneider, CEO of Amtech Software
Cybersecurity has become a core operational concern for manufacturers: Cyberattacks increasingly disrupt production, delay shipments and interrupt customer service. As packaging manufacturers adopt more connected technologies and rely on digital workflows, strengthening cyber resilience has become an essential part of business continuity planning. Organizations that prepare for disruption and invest in recovery capabilities are better positioned to protect operations, maintain customer commitments and adapt to future technology.
Manufacturers have always managed operational risks, from equipment failures and labor shortages to supply chain disruptions. Today, cyber threats belong on that same list of risks.
Ransomware attacks against manufacturers continue to increase because production environments have little tolerance for downtime. Every hour a plant sits idle can delay customer shipments, disrupt downstream supply chains and impact the bottom line. Manufacturers are attractive targets because the urgency to resolve the issue creates leverage for cybercriminals.
The packaging industry is particularly vulnerable because operations depend on tightly integrated production schedules, customer service systems, inventory management and shipping logistics. A successful attack can affect each of those functions simultaneously, leaving organizations unable to produce, schedule or fulfill orders until systems are restored.
“Cyber events quickly become production events, with financial consequences extending far beyond the IT department.”
For many organizations, conversations about cybersecurity still focus on protecting information. While safeguarding data remains important, manufacturing leaders also need to consider what happens when production itself stops.
The packaging industry has already seen that risk firsthand. In 2024, International Paper temporarily shut down its Riegelwood, North Carolina, mill after a cyberattack affected a limited set of manufacturing systems. The company said the attacker gained access through a third-party vendor, and the mill was shut down as a precaution while the issue was addressed.
The incident highlights two realities manufacturers need to consider. First, cyber risk can enter through the broader network of vendors and technology partners that support an operation. And, second, even a contained incident can require operational action to prevent further disruption.
All of which changes the questions leaders should be asking. Preventing attacks remains essential, but manufacturers also need to understand which systems are critical to production, what happens when those systems become unavailable, and how quickly they can be restored.
Recovery plans should account for the technology required to schedule production, manage inventory, coordinate shipping and serve customers. Those plans also need to be tested. Discovering that a backup cannot be restored or that employees are unclear about their responsibilities during an incident can turn a manageable disruption into a much longer one.
For packaging manufacturers, cyber resilience ultimately comes down to preparedness and recovery speed. The goal is to limit the operational impact when something goes wrong and restore critical capabilities as quickly and safely as possible.
Reducing cyber risk begins long before an attack occurs. Organizations should regularly evaluate their cybersecurity maturity, identify vulnerabilities, keep critical systems updated and patched, educate employees about phishing and other common threats, and develop incident response plans that define responsibilities before an emergency unfolds.
Recovery planning is equally important. Secure backups, tested disaster recovery procedures, and clearly documented recovery processes can help manufacturers resume operations more quickly when disruptions occur. Regular testing is critical because a recovery plan is only useful if it works when the business needs it.
Manufacturers should also understand which systems are most critical to keeping the business running and prioritize their recovery accordingly. Production scheduling, inventory management, shipping, customer service, and other essential functions may depend on different systems, which makes it important to know A) what needs to come back online first, and B) who is responsible for making that happen.
Leadership plays an important role as well. Cyber resilience requires coordination across IT, operations and the executive team, particularly when an incident begins to affect production. Establishing those responsibilities in advance allows organizations to respond more decisively and focus on restoring critical operations rather than determining roles in the middle of a disruption.
Technology decisions increasingly influence an organization’s ability to recover from disruption.
Many manufacturers continue operating critical business systems on aging on-premises infrastructure that requires manual updates, significant internal maintenance, and has limited redundancy. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, maintaining that infrastructure grows increasingly complex, particularly for organizations with small IT teams.
Modern cloud platforms offer capabilities that many manufacturers would find difficult to replicate independently. Automatic security updates, continuous monitoring, geographically redundant infrastructure, and integrated disaster recovery can all improve resilience while reducing the operational burden on staff.
These capabilities also create a stronger foundation for the next generation of manufacturing technology: Artificial intelligence, connected equipment, advanced analytics, and automation all depend on secure, reliable infrastructure. Organizations investing in those initiatives should view cybersecurity and resilience as foundational capabilities rather than separate technology projects.
As manufacturing continues its digital transformation, resilience becomes an enabler of innovation as much as a safeguard against disruption.
Cybersecurity investments should ultimately be evaluated through the same lens as any other operational investment: their ability to reduce risk, improve reliability, and protect business performance.
Packaging manufacturers have long planned for machine failures, material shortages, and unexpected production challenges, because they understand the financial consequences of downtime. Cyber incidents now present a similar operational threat. Organizations that prepare accordingly can often recover faster, minimize customer disruption, and maintain greater confidence in their operations.
Manufacturing operations depend on continuous production and tightly coordinated scheduling. Because downtime can become extremely expensive, cybercriminals often view manufacturers as organizations that may feel pressure to restore operations quickly.
The greatest business impact is often production disruption. Delayed shipments, idle equipment, unavailable scheduling systems, and interrupted customer service can all affect revenue and customer relationships.
Manufacturers should regularly assess cybersecurity risks, keep critical systems updated and patched, train employees, develop incident response plans, test backup and disaster recovery procedures, and modernize aging infrastructure where cloud-based systems can improve security, resilience, and recovery.
Manufacturers understand the importance of preparing for operational disruptions because downtime has always carried significant business consequences. Cybersecurity now belongs alongside equipment reliability, workforce planning, and supply chain resilience as a core business continuity priority. Organizations that strengthen this foundation today will be better equipped to protect production, recover from disruption, and confidently embrace the next generation of manufacturing technology.
About the Author:
Chuck Schneider is CEO of Amtech Software, a leading provider of enterprise software solutions for the packaging industry.
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