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The manufacturing sector is facing an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks, especially targeting its operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS). Recent research from Forescout Technologies reveals a staggering 71 percent increase in threat actors focusing on manufacturing between 2024 and early 2025. This alarming trend signals a new era of cyber risk for factories, supply chains, and critical industrial infrastructure worldwide.
Between 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, 29 active hacker groups were identified targeting manufacturing. Nearly 80 percent of these groups are cybercriminal organizations, with about half operating as ransomware gangs. Among these, the notorious RansomHub stands out, having attacked 78 victims and executed massive data theft operations. Whatâs particularly concerning is the extended time attackers remain hidden inside manufacturing networks, using legitimate cloud services to steal data discreetly and avoid detection. This tactic allows cybercriminals to bypass traditional security measures and makes forensic investigations far more challenging after breaches occur.
Attackers are evolving rapidly, deploying custom malware alongside techniques that exploit existing system tools, making detection even harder. Groups like Black Basta and RansomHub use sophisticated malware such as BRUTED and Betruger to penetrate networks. State-sponsored actors and hacktivists have also intensified their efforts, with espionage and disruption in OT environments becoming common goals.
The report highlights that attackers often buy access from Initial Access Brokers to infiltrate vulnerable IT and OT systems, frequently exploiting VPN weaknesses, remote access flaws, and file transfer vulnerabilities. Remote monitoring tools are abused to move laterally within networks, while rogue accounts, web shells, and scheduled tasks help maintain persistence. To outsmart advanced endpoint defenses, hackers use specialized tools like KillAV and TrueSightKiller, moving away from traditional malware evasion techniques.
Operational technology assets are now under direct assault. Well-known threat groups such as APT28 and Volt Typhoon have targeted manufacturing OT layers, sometimes masking espionage with ransomware attacks. Hacktivist groups aligned with geopolitical tensions are disrupting manufacturing systems, turning OT security into a critical national security issue.
Ransomware gangs like RansomHub have conducted the largest data thefts in manufacturing history, stealing over 2.4 terabytes of sensitive data, including intellectual property and personal information. The ongoing threat from ransomware-as-a-service groups such as Akira, LockBit, Play, and Clop shows the sectorâs continued vulnerability despite law enforcement efforts to dismantle some criminal networks.
The rise of new technologies like digital twins, industrial IoT, 5G, and AI is expanding the attack surface in manufacturing, creating detection blind spots and new vulnerabilities. Forescoutâs report predicts that attacks on OT systems will grow more frequent and sophisticated as adversaries deepen their understanding of industrial environments.
To defend against these evolving threats, manufacturers must adopt adaptive, layered cybersecurity strategies. These include thorough asset inventories, enforcing strong authentication and patch management, robust logging and security monitoring, and strict IT-OT network segmentation. Supply chain due diligence, maintaining secure offline backups, and developing OT-specific threat models are essential in mitigating the risk from persistent and skilled cyber adversaries.
As manufacturing rapidly digitizes, proactive and resilient cyber defense becomes crucial to protecting critical infrastructure and intellectual property from increasingly bold cyberattacks.
What Undercode Say:
The surge in cyberattacks targeting
The prominence of ransomware gangs like RansomHub, and the hybrid nature of hacktivist and state-sponsored activities, indicate that manufacturing is not just a financial target but also a geopolitical one. The integration of new digital technologies in factories and industrial operations opens new frontiers but also widens the attack surface, making the sector a prime target for disruption and espionage.
From an operational perspective, the blurring lines between IT and OT environments complicate security efforts, requiring specialized approaches and tools tailored to industrial systems. Traditional cybersecurity measures, often designed for office networks, struggle to keep pace with attacks on real-time control systems that manage physical processes.
The report also sheds light on how attackers increasingly bypass endpoint detection tools using dedicated utilities rather than old-school obfuscation, reflecting an arms race between attackers and defenders. The widespread use of ransomware-as-a-service platforms adds a level of scalability and accessibility to attacks, meaning even less sophisticated criminals can now launch devastating operations.
Moving forward, manufacturers must embrace a cybersecurity culture rooted in continuous monitoring, proactive threat hunting, and close collaboration between IT and OT teams. Integrating threat intelligence, prioritizing patching, and enforcing strict access controls will be crucial. The supply chain remains a weak link, demanding rigorous scrutiny and risk assessment.
Importantly, the call for offline immutable backups and robust incident response plans highlights the need to prepare for inevitable breaches, minimizing operational downtime and data loss. As attackers refine their tactics, the manufacturing sector must evolve its defenses accordingly to protect vital infrastructure and maintain operational resilience.
Fact Checker Results:
The reported 71% increase in manufacturing sector cyberattacks aligns with recent trends documented by multiple cybersecurity firms.
The involvement of ransomware gangs like RansomHub and state-sponsored actors is well-supported by publicly available threat intelligence.
The tactics described, including use of Initial Access Brokers and advanced endpoint bypass tools, are consistent with current industry reports.
Prediction:
The targeting of operational technology in manufacturing will continue to intensify as attackers gain deeper expertise in industrial systems. With the ongoing digital transformation powered by IoT, AI, and 5G, the attack surface will expand dramatically, inviting more sophisticated espionage and disruption campaigns. Future threats will likely blend ransomware, data theft, and sabotage, aiming to maximize operational impact and ransom payouts. Manufacturers who delay adopting comprehensive OT-specific cybersecurity measures will face increasingly severe consequences, while those investing early in adaptive, multilayered defenses will better safeguard their operations and intellectual property in the years ahead.
References:
Reported By: cyberpress.org
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