The manufacturing industry is suffering greatly from cyberattacks. For the fourth year in a row, the sector tops the list of most targeted industries. While ransomware poses the greatest threat, the human factor appears to be a crucial weak link.
This is according to a report by KnowBe4. Remarkably, 22% of data breaches in the manufacturing industry were caused by social engineering. “Because the focus is often on physical security and the reliability of production lines, cyber threats are sometimes overlooked,” says Javvad Malik, Lead Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4.
Malik emphasizes that many of the most devastating breaches do not start with a technical error, but with human error. Whether it’s a phishing email, a weak password, or a procedural error, attackers use people as the path of least resistance.
Digitization increases vulnerability
The manufacturing industry has invested heavily in digitization to create smart factories. However, this progress also brings risks. The attack surface for cybercriminals has increased significantly due to the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT).
Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting complex supply chains to gain access to valuable business data. The growing digital footprint puts operational processes, intellectual property, and economic resilience at risk.
Ransomware dominates the attack landscape
The KnowBe4 report shows that ransomware still accounts for the majority of attacks in the manufacturing industry. According to the ENISA Threat Landscape 2024, the sector was the most affected by ransomware attacks from 2023 to 2024.
The number of confirmed data breaches increased by 89.2% between 2023 and 2024. According to the Verizon DBIR 2025, 47% of all data breaches in the manufacturing industry were caused by ransomware. European manufacturers remain a key target for large ransomware groups such as LockBit, PlayCrypt, and 8Base.
The industry’s low tolerance for downtime plays into the hands of cybercriminals. Every minute of disruption can cause enormous costs and domino effects across entire chains.
Tip: KnowBe4 evolves from security training to human risk management