Advantages of Hiring a Specialized Security Partner for Your Smart Manufacturing Firm

Cyberattacks against financial companies such as JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup and vendors such as Target, eBay, and Home Depot have received so much media attention these past years. Unknown to many, smart manufacturing companies are also not immune to cyberattacks. According to Deloitte, smart manufacturers are now being targeted not just by random hackers and cybercriminals but by their own competitors and by countries engaged in corporate espionage. Their motivations are downright devious: to steal valuable data, to create business disruption, and to extort money. Competitors will do anything to gain a competitive advantage. So, just like financial services companies and retailers, cybersecurity is significantly important for smart manufacturers.

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Smart manufacturing companies have two choices when it comes to addressing cybersecurity. They can organize an internal cybersecurity lab right at their office or hire an external one. For a smart manufacturing firm that doesn’t have a strong cybersecurity team, the best solution is to outsource one. An outsourced security partner will manage your company’s entire IIoT infrastructure, work with your internal team, and focus completely on your organization’s security issues. The right security partner offers the following important advantages:

1. They Have Access to High-level Expertise

By choosing the right security partner, you get immediate access to an advanced level of expertise that would normally take years to develop within the company. With them working for you, you can feel more secure knowing that you have an expert team who’s got your back. The right security partner will also help improve your internal security policies by applying industry best practices to your company’s IIoT solution. In short, by hiring an expert cybersecurity team, you can optimize the functions of your internal team and make your business even better.

2. They Play Defense

New technologies, such as IIoT devices, both hardware and software, are great for your business. But these new technologies can become avenues for cyberattacks if not responsibly managed. Therefore, a dedicated outside security team makes a lot of sense. They can provide proactive cybersecurity and anticipate and oppose an impending attack. Proactive defense is key to easing operational risk. This will complement your internal capabilities who can play offense.

3. They Will Bring Balance to Your Organization

The right security partner will aim to balance your security needs with your business needs. They will provide a fresh set of eyes to identify areas you’re missing and define exactly what your organization needs. You need to find a security partner that you can trust and one that can provide both strategic and technical methodologies based on deep IIoT industry knowledge, with specialized security expertise and a complete understanding of compliance and regulations.

4. They Are Always on Top of the Game

Finally, by working with other similar clients, the right security partner will have built deep experience and practical knowledge about the latest trends and threats in cybersecurity specifically applied to your industry. They also have the right skills to pinpoint your best action plan for you to put in place before, during and after a cybersecurity attack.

All these differentiate a specialized external cybersecurity lab from an internal one. Make sure to make the best choice for your company.