Cyber Security for Advanced Manufacturing

Cyber4AM - Cyber Security for Advanced Manufacturing & IN4.0

The importance of digitalisation for Advanced Manufacturing has grown rapidly with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0. This increasing connectedness of the manufacturing environment to both customers and suppliers, brings new, inherent cyber security risks for Manufacturing companies and their supply chain, in both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems. 

There is a low level of cyber preparedness of Advanced Manufacturing companies leading to an increased risk of cyber attacks, the result of which can be severe: ranging from loss of valuable IP and market advantage to operations disruption, financial and reputational damage. 

According to IBM Research, the manufacturing sector became 2021’s most attacked industry  in the world and Europe, impacting manufacturing companies as well as their supply chains.

Cyber Ireland and NI Cyber have been awarded funding under the InterTradeIreland Synergy Programme for a pilot project to:

1. Support the digitalisation and cyber security preparedness of the Irish & Northern Irish Manufacturing Sectors, through benchmarking their cyber security preparedness, assessing training needs and providing access to relevant cyber security products/services. These activities will lower training and cost barriers for the companies. 

2.  Create business opportunities for Irish and Northern Irish cyber security companies in the Advanced Manufacturing sector. It will provide research on the cyber security needs of advanced manufacturing companies to Irish & Northern Irish cyber security companies and facilitate targeted introductions, developing expertise to address the needs of advance manufacturing companies and new product / service offerings. 

Project partners include

  • Cyber Security Clusters – Cyber Ireland & NI Cyber
  • Manufacturing Clusters – ATIM, IDEAM, Mega, Manufacturing NI
  • Education & Research Institutes –  CONFIRM, IMR, Munster Technological University, Queens University Belfast and University Ulster.