Trustwave unveiled comprehensive research highlighting the distinct cybersecurity threats confronting manufacturers. The report, "2023 Manufacturing Threat Landscape: Trustwave Threat Intelligence Briefing and Mitigation Strategies," explores industry-specific threats and risks, equipping manufacturers with practical insights and actionable mitigation strategies to fortify their defenses.

In its new research, Trustwave SpiderLabs has documented the attack flow utilized by threat groups, exposing their tactics, techniques, and procedures. From email-borne malware to the exploitation of SMB and DCOM protocols for lateral movement, these persistent threats pose significant risks to the manufacturing sector.

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and interconnected systems, the manufacturing industry is embracing digital transformation to fuel unprecedented efficiency and productivity. However, this evolution is accompanied by profound and growing cybersecurity challenges. Cyberattacks can cripple production lines, resulting in staggering financial losses that can reach thousands of dollars per minute. These disruptions directly contradict the industry's primary objective of maximizing profitability.

"The digital transformation sweeping through the manufacturing industry has led to a convergence of OT and IT business environments, effectively expanding the potential attack surface for cyber threat actors and ransomware," said Trustwave CISO Kory Daniels. "Our latest threat briefing is a valuable resource for cyber defenders building comprehensive security strategies that strengthen resilience, continuously assess risks of critical infrastructure, and empower the continuity of essential operations."

The Trustwave SpiderLabs report analyzes threat groups and their methods throughout the attack cycle, from initial foothold through to exfiltration. A few key findings from the report include:

• The threat group LockBit accounted for 36% of ransomware incidents targeting the manufacturing sector.
• 45% of all reported incidents in manufacturing can be attributed to Credential Access.
• 72% of malicious email attachment types sent to manufacturers are HTML attachments.

To access the full Trustwave SpiderLabs threat report, "2023 Manufacturing Threat Landscape: Trustwave Threat Intelligence Briefing and Mitigation Strategies," please click here.