Zero Trust: The Non-Negotiable Strategy for Manufacturing’s Future Security

The Stakes Are Rising for Industrial Cybersecurity

Is your manufacturing operation truly secure against today’s escalating cyber threats? In an increasingly integrated IT and OT landscape, the answer for many is a resounding ‘no.’

While this convergence opens up powerful possibilities for efficiency and innovation, it also expands the attack surface for cyber threats. Manufacturing is now the most targeted industry for cyberattacks globally, facing everything from ransomware to state-sponsored sabotage.

With the stakes so high, manufacturing leaders must look beyond patchwork security. They need to rethink cybersecurity from the ground up, embracing resilient, secure-by-design strategies like Zero Trust. This blog explores why modernizing manufacturing security is so urgent, what challenges stand in the way, and how Zero Trust and related frameworks can help organizations build cyber resilience without sacrificing uptime.

After reading this blog post, don’t miss your opportunity to join the Manufacturing Data Summit Europe in London this October 14 for the ‘Designing for the future’ panel and discover strategies and technologies to modernize and revolutionize your data architecture.

Legacy Systems and Siloed Teams: A Recipe for Vulnerability

Most factory floors still depend on legacy systems that were never designed for cybersecurity. These systems may run on outdated hardware, rely on unpatched software, or use hard-coded credentials. Many were built for performance and reliability, not security.

Historically, OT and IT teams have operated in isolation, leading to inconsistent policies and a lack of visibility. As IT and OT environments begin to converge, this separation becomes increasingly risky. Attackers can exploit IT vulnerabilities to move laterally into OT systems, where defenses are weaker.

A lack of segmentation in OT networks compounds the problem. Once inside, malware can spread rapidly across production lines, causing safety hazards, halts in production, and reputational damage.

Why Zero Trust Is a Game Changer

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) flips the traditional approach to security. Rather than trusting any user or device based on location or credentials alone, Zero Trust assumes that no entity is inherently trustworthy. All access requests must be verified, and all behavior must be monitored continuously.

The three key principles of Zero Trust are:

• Never trust, always verify: Every device and user must authenticate and be authorized before gaining access.
• Least privilege: Access should be limited to only what is absolutely necessary.
• Assume breach: Always act as if an attacker is already inside, and build in internal defenses accordingly.

For manufacturers, applying these principles in OT environments means micro-segmenting networks, using robust identity and access management (IAM), and ensuring continuous visibility of all activity. Implementing Zero Trust helps reduce the blast radius of attacks and ensures that threats can be detected and contained before they spread.

Key Strategies to Strengthen Security Across IT and OT

To move from legacy risk to modern resilience, organizations need a multi-layered security strategy. These best practices provide a starting point:

1. Enhance Visibility Across the Entire Ecosystem

Security teams need a real-time inventory of every connected device, whether it’s a PLC, HMI, sensor, or IoT gateway. Passive monitoring tools, such as OT-specific Network Detection and Response (NDR) solutions, designed for industrial protocols can provide non-intrusive visibility into OT traffic. Extending IT SOC capabilities into OT networks allows organizations to detect suspicious behavior before it escalates, working towards a unified ‘single pane of glass’ for IT/OT security operations.

2. Segment Networks to Limit Lateral Movement

Flat networks make it easy for attackers to move between systems. Manufacturers should segment networks using the ISA/IEC 62443 zone-and-conduit model, isolating IT, OT, and different production zones, down to the micro-segmentation at the individual asset level. Firewalls, VLANs, and secure gateways can help enforce these boundaries. For the highest levels of isolation and security in critical control systems, some advanced deployments even leverage data diodes to ensure strictly unidirectional data flow from OT to IT, eliminating any inbound attack vectors. Even basic segmentation can drastically reduce attack surface and prevent single points of failure.

3. Strengthen Identity and Access Management

Shared credentials and weak password policies remain common in OT. Manufacturers must implement role-based access control (RBAC), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and centralized identity governance that integrates both IT and OT identity stores. Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions should be deployed to control adn monitor access to critical systems. Vendor and remote access should be restricted with time-bound, purpose-specific permissions. Every user, device, and application must be uniquely identifiable and auditable.

Balancing Uptime with Cybersecurity

A major concern for OT teams is that security upgrades could disrupt operations. However, security and uptime are not mutually exclusive. By taking an incremental, risk-based approach, organizations can improve protection while maintaining operational continuity. But robust cybersecurity is also a fundamental enabler of operational resilience and business continuity.

Some strategies include:

• Deploy passive monitoring tools that do not interfere with system performance
• Segment networks gradually during scheduled maintenance windows
• Use redundancy and failover capabilities to apply updates without downtime
• Pilot Zero Trust initiatives in test environments before scaling
• Actively participate in threat intelligence sharing networks to stay ahead of emerging industrial threats

Manufacturers should also invest in resilience planning. This includes incident response protocols, disaster recovery systems, and tabletop exercises that simulate attacks. The ability to respond quickly and minimize damage is as critical as prevention.

Join the fireside chat exploring high-profile cyber breaches in the public domain, examining what went wrong and the underlying vulnerabilities that enabled them at the Manufacturing Data Summit Europe this October 14th in London. Gain practical insights into the root causes of these incidents and discover how to strengthen your own data security frameworks. 

Adapting to Cloud, Edge, and Hybrid Environments

Smart factories increasingly rely on edge computing, IoT devices, and cloud platforms. These technologies introduce new risks and require security strategies tailored to hybrid environments.

Key considerations include:

• Encrypt all data in transit and at rest
• Use secure communication protocols like TLS and VPN tunnels
• Implement Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) for remote connections, considering Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions for unified remote and hybrid access
• Monitor cloud and edge traffic within centralized security platforms
• Secure containerized applications and workloads, critical for many edge deployments

Manufacturers must also secure APIs, enforce certificate-based authentication, and continuously scan cloud configurations using Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) to prevent accidental exposure of sensitive data.

Frameworks That Guide the Way: IEC 62443 and NIS2

Security frameworks can help guide the transformation toward modern cyber resilience.

• IEC 62443 is a global standard for securing industrial automation and control systems. It emphasizes network segmentation, risk-based security levels, and continuous monitoring.
• NIS2 Directive, now in force across the EU, mandates stringent cybersecurity obligations for essential industries including manufacturing. It emphasizes risk management, supply-chain security, access controls, and rapid incident reporting.

Aligning with these frameworks helps manufacturers establish governance, meet compliance requirements, and implement security by design.Crucially, these frameworks often overlap and complement each other, providing a comprehensive and cohesive approach to industrial cybersecurity. 

Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Cybersecurity is not a destination but a journey. Like lean manufacturing, it requires a mindset of continuous improvement. Manufacturers should establish cross-functional teams that bring together IT, OT, and compliance professionals. They should set multi-year roadmaps and measure progress with clear milestones.

Ongoing employee training, regular security assessments, comprehensive vulnerability management programs,can also strengthen the organization’s security posture. Success is more likely when cybersecurity is seen as a strategic business enabler and a driver of operational excellence, not merely a cost center or a blocker.

Join the Conversation at the Manufacturing Data Summit 2025

Modernizing cybersecurity in manufacturing is not easy, but it is essential. As threats grow more sophisticated and regulators demand greater accountability, organizations must evolve from legacy systems to integrated, secure-by-design environments.

The upcoming Manufacturing Data Summit Europe 2025, taking place in London this October 14th, offers a valuable opportunity to continue this conversation. Join cybersecurity, IT, and operations leaders from across the industry to explore strategies, share experiences, and hear how peers are implementing Zero Trust, segmenting networks, and meeting compliance requirements.

Register today and master the strategies to transform your legacy systems into a resilient, Zero Trust digital backbone for your manufacturing future…