July 2, 2025 Resilient Breach Protection for Resource-Limited Teams

Resilient breach protection empowers lean manufacturing security teams to automate defense, reduce downtime, and secure critical assets.

By Aviad Hasnis, CTO, Cynet

The manufacturing sector is experiencing a renaissance powered by leaps in automation, robotics, and data connectivity. These advancements are not only driving new heights in efficiency and operational collaboration, but also rapid exposure of critical gaps in the industry’s cybersecurity defenses. As operational technology (OT) becomes deeply integrated with IT systems and legacy infrastructure, much of it is outdated or difficult to patch. The attack surface has expanded dramatically. For the fourth consecutive year, manufacturing has endured more cyberattacks than any other sector. Nearly a third of manufacturing companies have experienced extortion, and a quarter have faced data theft. These aren’t just technical setbacks, they’re business disruptions that affect everything from financial assets to intellectual property.

A Fight at the Frontline

The digitization of manufacturing processes has extended exposure across a growing array of endpoints and data flows. As companies strive for increased efficiency and remote accessibility, they are inadvertently multiplying the attack vectors adversaries can exploit. Resource constraints compound the challenge with many manufacturing environments lacking mature cybersecurity practices or the staffing and budgets needed to meet the moment. A recent survey revealed that 40% of companies suffered cyber incidents in the past year, with 36% reporting damages of up to $1 million. This highlights the urgent need for manufacturers to adopt more proactive and integrated security strategies to ensure operational continuity.

Unfortunately, traditional cybersecurity measures are no match for today’s adversaries. Standard tools like antivirus and anti-malware struggle to keep pace with sophisticated threats, leaving critical infrastructure vulnerable. For security teams already spread thin, the stakes are high. With limited personnel and constrained budgets, smaller teams face the daunting task of securing sprawling networks without the resources typically found in larger enterprises.

From Fragmented to Fortified

While a reactive approach to security is both inefficient and dangerous, legacy strategies leave teams in a constant state of catch-up, opening the door for attackers to exploit system weaknesses. Manufacturing CISOs and CIOs are acutely aware that these vulnerabilities can lead to costly operational shutdowns, data breaches, or even physical harm, consequences with devastating ripple effects throughout the business. Cybercriminals are drawn to industries where disruption is expensive and defenses are lagging, and manufacturing fits that profile all too well.

Security leaders in manufacturing stand at a critical inflection point. Relying on outdated or disjointed tools is no longer tenable. While technologies like endpoint and network detection tools offer added visibility, they often operate in silos, creating complexity and generating an overwhelming number of alerts. These fragmented systems increase operational burden, reduce response speed, and heighten risk. The solution lies in unified, automated protection backed by continuous expert monitoring. By choosing and integrating a comprehensive platform, organizations can automatically detect, investigate, and neutralize threats across both IT and OT environments, drastically reducing the need for human intervention. By consolidating capabilities into a single, integrated platform, lean security teams can strengthen defenses while regaining the bandwidth needed to focus on strategic priorities.

Rewriting the Security Playbook

This shift, from reactive to proactive, from fragmented to unified, is how cybersecurity becomes a true enabler of innovation. Rather than inhibiting progress, robust security empowers manufacturers to pursue digital transformation initiatives with confidence. The key is to embrace automation, integration, and expert support as strategic levers for resilience.

Eliminating the inefficiencies caused by siloed security tools is a crucial step toward stronger, more streamlined protection. Disparate solutions for extended detection and response (XDR), next-gen antivirus (NGAV), SaaS security, and other needs often lead to unnecessary complexity and rising costs. By consolidating these capabilities into a single platform, manufacturers can simplify operations, reduce licensing overhead, and implement seamless protection right out of the box.

At the same time, resilience in manufacturing hinges on automation. Given that downtime can bring operations to a halt, automating incident investigation and response becomes a strategic advantage. This level of automation can cut down manual effort by as much as 90% and accelerate response times by up to 50 times, delivering the speed and efficiency needed to maintain continuous uptime.

Complementing these efforts is the need to enhance in-house capabilities with scalable expertise. Cybersecurity effectiveness depends not only on tools but also on access to skilled professionals.

Smart Security, Real Returns

The benefits of this approach extend well beyond improved security. By minimizing the risk of downtime, manufacturers can sustain consistent output and avoid costly disruptions to production schedules. Automation and consolidation work together to strengthen detection, prevention, and remediation capabilities, ensuring that operations stay on track even in the face of evolving threats.

This streamlined model also delivers a strong return on investment. With fewer tools to manage and reduced reliance on manual processes, lean security teams are empowered to do more with the resources they already have. This efficiency not only alleviates pressure from the ongoing cybersecurity talent shortage but also frees up budget and bandwidth for strategic initiatives.

Perhaps most importantly, a unified and proactive security posture unlocks the ability to embrace emerging technologies with confidence. As manufacturers expand into IoT, AI, and cloud-driven innovation, they can move forward knowing that their cybersecurity foundation is built to scale with them, supporting growth, enhancing competitive advantage, and driving transformation with minimal risk.

About the Author:
Aviad Hasnis, CTO at Cynet, leads the company’s cybersecurity technology strategy, including development of its extended detection and response (XDR) platform, threat research, and managed detection and response (MDR) services. Prior to Cynet, he held senior cybersecurity roles in the Israel Defense Forces and holds advanced degrees in engineering and physics from the Technion.

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