Discrete manufacturing, process industries, supply chain
Manufacturing organizations face distinctive file security challenges centered on operational technology (OT) environments and supply chain complexity. Production systems—CNC machines, PLCs, SCADA systems—often run legacy software that cannot be easily patched, making them vulnerable to exploits delivered through engineering files, configuration updates, and vendor documentation.
The supply chain dimension adds complexity. Manufacturers receive files, technical specifications, quality documentation, and software updates from hundreds or thousands of suppliers with varying security maturity. A compromised supplier can serve as an attack vector into the manufacturer's network, and file-borne attacks are a common mechanism for supply chain compromises.
