Industrial automation is an essential tool in today’s factories. Manufacturers face staffing challenges which can be eased by automation of key tasks around the shop, and development in the automation industry continues to make robots easier to deploy, integrate and program. However, like any internet-connected piece of technology on the factory floor, automation equipment, including robots, are susceptible to hacking and cyberattack.
Researchers at the Ohio State University Artificially Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (AIMS) lab led by director of cybersecurity Vimal Buck are studying ways to protect industrial automation, specifically industrial robots, from cyberattack.
According to the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance, cyberattacks in industry, including manufacturing, increased during the pandemic, as some employees moved to telecommuting instead of working on-site. IBM’s recent X-Force Threat Intelligence Index found that the manufacturing sector was the most attacked by ransomware, accounting for 23% of reports. By locking manufacturers out of their equipment, hackers extract a ransom because of the pressure of downstream supply chain demands. Manufacturers can’t afford to be at risk of cyberattack.
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