The convergence risk
For decades, operational technology (OT) networks were air-gapped — physically separated from IT networks and the internet. Industry 4.0 changed that. Connecting machines to MES, ERP, and cloud platforms means OT and IT networks now converge. This brings enormous value and significant risk.
Ransomware attacks on manufacturing increased 87% from 2021 to 2023. Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Toyota suppliers all suffered production shutdowns from cyber attacks. The attack surface is growing.
Security architecture for connected factories
- Network segmentation — OT network on a separate VLAN with firewall rules limiting traffic to the MES gateway only
- Edge gateway — all machine data flows through a hardened edge device, never direct-to-cloud
- Encrypted transport — TLS for all data in transit, even on the local network
- Certificate-based auth — devices authenticate with certificates, not passwords
- Read-only by default — the platform reads data from machines; write commands require explicit approval and audit logging
- Offline resilience — edge devices buffer data locally during network outages and sync when restored
87%Increase in Mfg Attacks
Zero TrustSecurity Model
EncryptedAll Data in Transit
Connectivity without security is liability. Every connected machine needs a security plan, not just a network cable.