Cybercriminals aren’t always using sophisticated tools or zero-day exploits to breach manufacturers. As recent reports confirm, including Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report and IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, human-centric, low-tech attacks, such as phishing and credential theft, continue to be the most effective and costly tactics used against the manufacturing sector.
The numbers are sobering. Sixty-eight percent of breaches involve human error, and the average cost of a manufacturing-related breach now exceeds $4.8 million. As manufacturers rapidly digitize operations and integrate smart technologies across global supply chains, this human vulnerability grows larger, not smaller.
The paradox is apparent. Digital transformation fuels productivity and innovation, but it also expands the attack surface. Protecting that surface starts not with the newest firewall, but with the people operating CNC machines, approving vendor payments, or logging in at remote facilities. It starts with integrating cybersecurity into the culture and cadence of the manufacturing floor.
Security Can’t Be a Silo
Traditionally, cybersecurity was the domain of IT and compliance teams, operating quietly in the background. But for manufacturers, where physical and digital systems are deeply intertwined, cybersecurity must become a shared operational priority.
When a phishing email dupes a finance team member into wiring funds to a fraudulent account, it’s not just a financial loss. It’s a breakdown in business continuity. When login credentials are stolen from a production supervisor’s compromised mobile device, attackers can gain entry to industrial control systems. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios; they’re increasingly common headlines.
Attackers exploit behavioral patterns more than software flaws. They rely on employees being rushed, distracted, or unaware of their surroundings. In an industry where uptime, safety, and efficiency dominate the work culture, cybersecurity education must respect and align with these values rather than working against them.
Rethinking Training: From One-Time to Real-Time
One of the most significant challenges in securing manufacturing operations is the perception that cybersecurity awareness is a distraction from the primary focus of the operation. When training consists of annual, ineffective content, it becomes a box-checking exercise. A large portion of this information is forgotten within weeks of completing the training. Security awareness training content must be reinforced on a regular basis.
That’s why leading manufacturers are shifting toward microlearning strategies: short, role-specific training sessions designed to be absorbed quickly and retained longer. Instead of quarterly sessions that take team members off the floor for an hour, workers might receive two-minute modules every other week tailored to their specific responsibilities.
A plant technician may receive a quick refresher on identifying rogue USB devices or social engineering tactics employed by physical intruders. A procurement officer might receive a scenario-based simulation showing how a fraudulent invoice could be disguised as a legitimate vendor email. These targeted, bite-sized lessons are more digestible and relevant, and most importantly, they don’t interfere with production schedules.
According to a 2023 Ponemon Institute study, companies that implemented microlearning and maintained frequent touchpoints experienced a 50 percent reduction in phishing susceptibility. That’s not just education. It’s risk reduction.
Behavior Over Awareness
While knowledge is the first step, changing behavior is the goal. This is where insights from behavioral science come into play. Gamification, such as rewarding employees for good security hygiene through challenges or recognition, can create a sense of ownership and even healthy competition. “Catch the Phish” campaigns, which recognize the fastest or most vigilant team members, promote active participation and reinforce positive habits.
Addressing the forgetting curve, a well-documented phenomenon in which individuals tend to forget most of what they learn within days to weeks is critical. Manufacturers can overcome this by providing frequent refreshers, incorporating real-world scenarios, and offering real-time feedback.
Evolving Threats Demand Evolving Defenses
Manufacturers must also contend with a threat landscape that is constantly evolving. Deepfake voicemail scams targeting vendor payment teams, AI-generated phishing messages that mimic internal lingo, and attacks through compromised suppliers are current realities.
This means awareness programs must be dynamic. When a new phishing tactic is observed, such as “quishing” (QR-based phishing) , training content should be updated as soon as possible. Teams should be informed of the latest scams not through jargon-filled memos but through clear, actionable examples that relate directly to their daily tasks.
Cross-functional coordination is also essential. Manufacturing environments often rely on third-party vendors for everything from logistics to maintenance. That makes supply chain integrity a key area of risk. Training shouldn’t stop at the company’s edge. It should also address how employees vet, communicate with, and verify external partners.
The Bottom Line: People Protect Production
Cybersecurity isn’t an abstract IT objective. It’s an operational necessity. For manufacturers, human-driven breaches can halt lines, compromise trade secrets, and erode trust across the supply chain.
But when workers are equipped with the proper knowledge and delivered in the right way, they become the first line of defense. Cybersecurity has become an integral part of daily operations, much like safety checks or equipment maintenance.
Regulatory frameworks, such as ISO 27001 or CMMC, are prompting companies to adopt a more structured approach to training. But compliance alone isn’t the end goal. The real value lies in building a resilient culture where every person understands their role in protecting the business.
The companies that succeed are those that empower their people, not just their technology. For manufacturers, the path to operational security begins not with the next firewall or endpoint solution, but with a workforce that knows what to look for, how to respond, and why it matters.
In the manufacturing sector, protecting your people is equivalent to protecting your production.
John Trest is a cybersecurity expert with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build human-centric defense programs.
