As cyberattacks on industrial systems escalate and supply chains grow more complex, cyber resilience for operational technology (OT) isn’t optional — it’s a business imperative.
But with budgets under pressure and resources stretched thin, many manufacturers are left pondering a difficult question: How can we strengthen OT defenses without incurring downtime or breaking the bank?
The high price of downtime
In a 2024 survey by Statista, manufacturing executives said mandatory uptime was the biggest hurdle to reducing cyberattacks on control systems.
A cyberattack can lead to unplanned downtime and can be just as costly as planned downtime and far more difficult to recover from. A survey by ABB found that nearly 70% of companies experienced unplanned downtime once per month, and almost one in 10 experienced an unplanned outage every day. Those outages cost manufacturers a median of $125,000 per hour.
Compliance in the spotlight for manufacturers
OT security is now tightly bound to regulatory compliance. As global standards such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and IEC 62443 evolve, adhering to these regulations is essential to protecting operations and reputations and avoiding fines and other penalties.
Manufacturers need to focus on two broad aims:
- Maintaining compliance standards: Meeting compliance helps establish a clear security baseline, making it easier to identify and close gaps in your OT defenses.
- Risk reduction: Aligning with global frameworks such as ISA/IEC 62443 drives consistent best practices, lowers the risk of costly cyber incidents and leads to better collaboration between IT and OT teams.
As regulators and insurers increasingly demand proof of robust cyber resilience from manufacturers, compliance is fast becoming a budgetary and board-level concern, not only to avoid fines but also to unlock new business opportunities.
The need for rapid data recovery
One of the most important elements of risk mitigation is the ability to get OT systems up and running again after a cyberattack or disaster. To achieve a high level of cyber resilience, one-click system restoration is essential.
With one-click recovery, even non-IT staff can easily restore failed OT systems in minutes without needing to understand complicated processes. As a result, they can eliminate delays caused by waiting for central IT support. Recovery with a single click is particularly important in a few common manufacturing scenarios, including multisite, remote-work and air-gapped manufacturing environments.
Join the conversation: OT resilience: Protecting industrial operations from cyberattacks and downtime
On April 28, Acronis will host a virtual event, “OT resilience: Protecting industrial operations from cyberattacks and downtime.” Join the session to learn:
- Proven strategies to strengthen OT resilience and safeguard critical industrial systems from evolving cyber threats.
- Practical approaches to minimize downtime and maintain operational continuity in the face of disruptions.
- Insights on improving efficiency and reducing risk across industrial environments.
The event will also feature a brief demo showcasing how non-IT personnel can quickly recover failed OT systems using Acronis Cyber Protect for OT, which enables them to reduce costly outages. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A with experts in automation, industrial control systems (ICS), and cybersecurity.
Register now for the virtual event.
About Acronis
A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 60+ countries. Acronis Cyber Platform is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 21,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses.
