Nearly one in three UK manufacturers experienced a cyberattack last year, highlighting the growing cybersecurity risks facing the country’s industrial sector. The findings, based on a recent survey by Make UK, the organization representing British manufacturers, also point to significant operational and financial consequences, including production disruption, rising costs and increased pressure across already complex supply chains.
The survey comes at a time when cyber threats against the manufacturing industry are becoming increasingly disruptive. High-profile incidents involving major manufacturers like Automotive giant JLR have demonstrated how a successful attack can extend far beyond IT systems, potentially bringing production lines and critical business operations to a standstill.
Despite the growing threat, many manufacturers remain underprepared for the aftermath of a serious cyber incident. According to the survey, only around half of the manufacturers that experienced an attack had an incident response team in place. This leaves a significant proportion of businesses without the specialist resources required to contain an intrusion, investigate its source and restore operations quickly.
The concern is particularly significant because manufacturing environments are undergoing rapid digital transformation. Organizations are increasingly connecting operational technology (OT), industrial control systems and production equipment to corporate networks and cloud-based platforms. While this connectivity can improve efficiency, visibility and automation, it can also create additional pathways for attackers to exploit.
The threat is not limited to large manufacturers. Smaller businesses can also become attractive targets when attackers identify opportunities to steal data, deploy ransomware, disrupt operations or use a compromised organization as a stepping stone into a larger supply chain. For cybercriminals, the size of a company does not necessarily determine its value as a target; weak security controls and limited incident-response capabilities can be equally compelling.
The emergence of generative AI is adding another layer of complexity. Cybercriminals can increasingly use AI-enabled tools to accelerate reconnaissance, create convincing phishing campaigns, automate parts of an attack and lower the technical barrier for less experienced threat actors. This could increase both the volume and sophistication of attacks targeting businesses.
The financial implications are substantial. With the cost of cybercrime in the UK expected to reach £15.3 billion by 2027, manufacturers can no longer treat cybersecurity as solely an IT concern. It is increasingly a business-continuity and operational-resilience issue.
As British manufacturers continue investing in connected production environments, the attack surface will expand. Businesses must therefore prioritize security-by-design, network segmentation, continuous monitoring, employee awareness and tested incident-response plans.
For manufacturers, the question is no longer whether digital systems should be protected, but whether they can continue operating when those systems come under attack.
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