Ransomware gangs claimed more than 1,000 attacks on manufacturers over the past year, with the average manufacturer facing about 1,585 attempted attacks per week. Yet despite this barrage, around 56% of manufacturing companies in the United Kingdom could not defend themselves from cyber-attacks.
The disconnect is staggering: nearly 95% of manufacturers acknowledge that cyber security measures are necessary for their company, but 54% have taken no further cyber security action despite adopting new production-boosting technologies. For UK manufacturers in particular, this gap has become a critical business risk that can no longer be ignored.
How Much Are Cyber Attacks Really Costing UK Manufacturers?
The financial reality is sobering. Sectors including manufacturing lose more than £300,000 per incident on average, whilst the average cost for micro and small businesses to recover from a serious breach stands at £7,960.
But the real cost often goes beyond the immediate financial hit. The cyberattack on JLR forced the company to shut down manufacturing for weeks, ultimately costing the British economy some £2.5 billion and representing the single most financially damaging cyberattack in British history.
Why Are Manufacturers Such Attractive Targets?
Manufacturing sits at the intersection of several vulnerabilities that make it irresistible to cybercriminals. Due to its global reach and impact, manufacturing is a highly attractive venue to hackers, as a cyberattack on a manufacturer can have significant knock-on effects that can even spread beyond the industry to other organisations along the supply chain.
The sector's digitalisation creates multiple attack vectors. Manufacturers, utilities, healthcare providers and logistics operations increasingly rely on connected devices, with ENISA citing OT systems as being "high value targets across all types of threats".
Legacy systems compound the risk. Manufacturing firms grapple with outdated OT devices that vendors no longer support and may be quietly accumulating security vulnerabilities. In many cases, there are no patches available because manufacturers don't replace and update their systems at all.
What Makes 2026 Different for Manufacturing Security?
Several factors are converging to make 2026 the year manufacturers can no longer delay cybersecurity investment:
Regulatory Pressure Intensifies
The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill is advancing through parliament, with the second reading taking place on 6 January. If all goes to schedule, the bill will receive Royal Assent mid-2026. This legislation will mandate stronger cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure, including manufacturing.
AI-Powered Threats Escalate
Cyber criminals now use generative AI to produce highly convincing phishing emails, cloned voices and deepfake videos, with the National Cyber Security Centre warning that AI will likely continue to "make elements of cyber intrusion operations more effective and efficient".
Supply Chain Requirements Tighten
Larger companies are increasingly requiring Cyber Essentials certification from anyone in their supply chain. Manufacturers without proper cybersecurity certification risk losing major contracts.
How Much Does Proper Manufacturing Cybersecurity Actually Cost?
The perception that cybersecurity is prohibitively expensive often prevents action. The cost of the initial outlay on cyber security remains the main barrier for business, along with the cost of maintaining systems.
However, the certification fee is typically only 30-50% of your total cost, with staff time valued at £30-50/hour for an IT manager representing £270-£1,300 for standard Cyber Essentials.
Risk Assessment
Conduct a comprehensive security audit to identify vulnerabilities in both IT and OT systems. Manufacturing environments need special attention to operational technology that may not have traditional security controls.
Essential Controls
Implement the five Cyber Essentials controls: secure configuration, boundary firewalls, access control, malware protection, and patch management. These address the majority of common attack vectors.
OT Network Segmentation
Separate operational technology networks from IT networks to prevent attackers from moving laterally between systems. This is critical for manufacturing environments with legacy equipment.
Staff Training
Educate employees about manufacturing-specific threats, particularly social engineering attacks targeting operational systems. Regular phishing simulations help maintain awareness.
Incident Response Planning
Develop and test procedures for responding to cyber incidents that could affect production. Include communication plans for customers and suppliers who may be affected by disruptions.
What About Smaller Manufacturing Businesses?
The cybersecurity challenge scales with business size, but the fundamental requirements remain similar. Manufacturing organisations typically have smaller IT security teams and fewer security platforms, often relying on outsourcing, with 88% of manufacturing firms outsourcing some IT security services.
For smaller manufacturers, managed security services often provide the most cost-effective approach. 46% of SME leaders turn to outside industry experts for guidance on improving their organisation's cyber resilience, recognising that specialist knowledge is essential.
How Should Manufacturing Businesses Prioritise Security Investments?
Not every security measure needs to be implemented simultaneously. A critical first step is identifying which systems and parts of those systems to assess, along with the points at which they can be accessed, effectively mapping the 'attack surface'. This approach allows manufacturers to prioritise their security investments based on risk.
Focus initial investments on:
- Identity and access controls - preventing unauthorised system access
- Network segmentation - limiting the spread of any successful attack
- Backup and recovery - ensuring rapid restoration of operations
- Staff training - addressing the human element of cybersecurity
Start with free government resources like the NCSC's cyber assessment framework and the Cyber Essentials scheme. These provide structured approaches to improving security without requiring large upfront investments.
What Should Manufacturing Leaders Do Right Now?
For business leaders, 2026 needs to be the year where cyber resilience stays firmly on the boardroom agenda. The time for treating cybersecurity as an IT-only concern has passed.
Immediate actions include:
- Conduct a cyber maturity assessment to understand current security posture
- Map critical assets and data flows to identify what needs protection most
- Evaluate cyber insurance requirements and understand how cybersecurity affects premiums
- Review supplier security as supply chain attacks increase
- Plan for regulatory compliance with incoming legislation
The manufacturing sector's digital transformation offers tremendous opportunities, but this increasing digitalisation also exposes manufacturers to unprecedented cyber security risks, with UK manufacturing businesses experiencing an alarming rise in cyber-attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a UK manufacturer budget for cybersecurity in their first year?
Larger organisations with legacy systems face higher first-year costs, but these are often security improvements you should be making anyway. Certification provides the structure and deadline to actually do them. Budget between £5,000-£25,000 for the first year depending on company size and current security maturity, with annual costs reducing significantly after initial remediation.
Can small manufacturers afford the same security as large corporations?
Effective cybersecurity doesn't require corporate-grade resources. Basic security measures like multi-factor authentication, regular patching, and staff training can dramatically reduce risk profiles. Many security tools scale to business size, and managed security services provide enterprise-level protection at SME-friendly prices.
What happens if we don't invest in cybersecurity and nothing happens?
29% of businesses reported that cyber attacks caused lost customers and increased operational costs, hurting long-term growth. In some cases, businesses never fully recover — especially if customer data is compromised. The question isn't whether you'll be targeted, but when, and whether you'll survive the attack.
How do we balance production efficiency with security requirements?
Modern security approaches focus on enabling business rather than blocking it. Network segmentation allows secure operation of legacy equipment whilst implementing better security controls. Many manufacturers find that proper cybersecurity actually improves operational efficiency by preventing downtime from attacks.
Should manufacturers prioritise IT security or operational technology security first?
Both are critical, but start with network segmentation between IT and OT systems. This prevents attackers from moving laterally between networks whilst you implement specific security controls for each environment. Focus on securing the pathways between systems rather than trying to secure everything simultaneously.
The manufacturing sector can no longer afford to treat cybersecurity as optional. With attacks escalating and regulatory requirements tightening, 2026 represents the final opportunity to implement robust cybersecurity before it becomes a survival requirement rather than a competitive advantage.
For manufacturers ready to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, our automation consulting services can help integrate security controls into existing operational processes, whilst our BI and data services provide the visibility needed to detect and respond to threats effectively.