Two years ago, Boeing received a demand from cybercrime group LockBit: pay us $200 million, or see your confidential data released to the public.
The gang had hacked Boeing’s systems and accessed 43GB of data. It’s believed to be one of the biggest-ever ransomware demands; and while Boeing refused to pay up, the incident caused major disruption to the firm.
And the costs go way beyond the ransom. Despite refusing to pay up after a recent cyber-attack, Jaguar Land Rover has experienced losses of around £1.9 billion, with production halted at its three main UK sites in Solihull, Wolverhampton and Halewood, with no new vehicles built for five weeks.
Manufacturers are a major target for hackers of all types. This year, North America’s largest steel producer, Nucor, was forced to halt production after a cyber breach, while a ransomware attack on Sensata Technologies halted shipping and production, delaying order fulfilment. The year before, German manufacturer Schumag was actually forced into insolvency after a series of ransomware disruptions.
Earlier this year, security firm Check Point Software found that, globally, manufacturing faces an average of 1,585 weekly attacks per organisation – up 30 per cent on last year.
Many attacks are carried out for the purposes of industrial espionage, often by state-linked hacking groups – particularly China. Earlier this year, for example, Cisco Talos discovered a number of China-linked cyber espionage campaigns targeting manufacturing, along with government, telecommunications, and media.
Meanwhile, the number of financially-motivated ransomware attacks against manufacturers is booming. According to security firm Black Kite, among companies earning over $1 billion, the manufacturing sector makes up 40 per cent of ransomware victims. And even among companies with earnings under $20 million, manufacturing is the second-most targeted industry at 17 per cent.
“Cybercriminals are deliberately targeting this industry because its operational continuity is critical,” the researchers noted. “This is particularly true for high-value targets.”
The weakest link, said Check Point, is the supply chain, with every connection a potential entry point for attackers. Criminal groups, warns the firm, now specialise in selling stolen access into manufacturing networks, giving ransomware affiliates a direct path inside; and a single weak supplier or unsecured Internet of Things (IoT) device can deliver that path.
Just as AI is transforming business, it’s boosting attackers’ capabilities. It helps them craft plausible phishing attacks, crack passwords and automate cyber-attacks.
AI-enhanced malware can learn from its environment and adapt its behaviour to evade detection, while AI-driven data mining tools enable attackers to gather and analyse vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds.
However, according to security firm LevelBlue, only 32 per cent of manufacturing executives say they’re equipped for AI-powered threats, and just 30 per cent believe their organisation is ready for deepfake attacks.
Only 37 per cent said they were ready for distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, and 54 per cent said they had very low to moderate visibility into the software supply chain.
The government recently published advice to help organisations protect against ransomware.
“Ransomware and cyber-attacks pose an immediate and urgent threat to our nation’s security and economy,” said security minister Dan Jarvis. “Cybersecurity must be a top priority for all businesses. It’s vital that the counter ransomware guidance is followed and strong measures are taken to defend against these destructive attacks.”
Manufacturers should do their best to build resilience into operations, says Check Point, treating downtime as a board-level risk. Continuity plans should be tested, with the aim of making sure that recovery times are measured in hours, not weeks.
They should protect intellectual property through intelligence-led defences and crisis communication strategies. “Assume IP is a top target for nation-state actors. Invest in monitoring, advanced detection, and data-loss prevention,” says the firm.
It’s well worth investing in proactive defence, with a prevention-first strategy that can reduce the likelihood of disruption before it begins.
And finally, says the firm, it’s vital to secure the supply chain, enforcing cyber security standards across vendors and partners and requiring visibility into access points and third-party risks.
“Cyber threats to manufacturing are intensifying in both scale and impact. The sector is uniquely exposed, balancing legacy systems, interconnected supply chains, and minimal tolerance for downtime,” says Check Point.
“For executives, the message is clear: cyber resilience is now a competitive advantage. Those who act decisively today will protect not only their production lines but also the future of their business.”
LevelBlue’s research shows that manufacturers are taking the ransomware threat increasingly seriously, with more than half now allocating cybersecurity budgets at the outset of new initiatives.
More than seven in ten are investing in machine learning for pattern matching, with a similar number implementing cyber resilience processes across the business. Sixty-four per cent are investing in generative AI defences against social engineering, 67 per cent in application security, and 63 per cent in enhanced software supply chain security.
“While it’s encouraging to see increased alignment between cybersecurity initiatives and business goals, the data shows that many organisations still face critical gaps in alignment,” said LevelBlue chief security and trust officer Kory Daniels.
“Corporate executive alignment and a proactive, adaptive approach are essential to staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats.”
Protect your production lines from cyber threats
Cyberattacks on manufacturers are escalating, costing billions, halting operations, and putting intellectual property at risk. Don’t wait until disruption hits. Howden’s Manufacturing team specialises in building resilience for businesses like yours, with tailored insurance solutions that keep you moving, even when the unexpected happens.
Click here to talk to their experts today and safeguard your future.
Author: Katherine Campbell FCII – Sales Director, Howden.
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