Arming manufacturers with a passwordless solution to access and accountability

Access, accountability and cybersecurity in the manufacturing sector has never been more critical. With cyberattacks against manufacturers increasing by 300%¹ in a recent two-year period, OSHA compliance more stringent than ever, and productivity always a top priority, manufacturers are turning to passwordless authentication to deliver an array of workplace solutions to defend against attacks from both internal and external threats.

Cybersecurity is clearly a major focus amongst manufacturers. According to IBM Security, manufacturing was the #1 most attacked industry in 2022 with 58% of all cyber-related incidents remediated. These cyberattacks—including phishing attacks and ransomware—came from both internal threats (58%) and outside cybercriminals (32%).² Shared workstations, vulnerable passwords and PINs, and unsecured networks enable such attacks on a daily basis – causing operational interruptions that have implications to productivity and the bottom line.

In this second paragraph, would like to see the “shared workstations sentence placed before the Cybersecurity statistics since this is what Manufacturers would resonate with more.

Deterring cyberattacks

To ensure operational efficiency and decreased interruptions to productivity via internal and external threats, manufacturers are looking for solutions – one of which being passwordless authentication such as the portfolio of WAVE ID® readers from rf IDEAS. Whether it’s leveraging existing proximity cards, tapping into newer security protocols including FIDO2 security keys, or taking advantage of the seamless simplicity of mobility via BLE or NFC digital wallet credentials for smartphones, WAVE ID readers meet the unique needs of the manufacturing industry.

Protecting the endpoints across your manufacturing floor requires robust authentication—across equipment; HMI’s, PLCs, clean rooms, secure printers, tool cribs, and employee lockers – that are no longer protected alone by shared pins and passwords. A high level of protection through a logical access control system greatly reduces the risk of cyber-related downtime.

Boosting accountability, compliance and productivity

While cybersecurity is a rapidly emerging focus, accountability, productivity and compliance with passwordless authentication plays a key role. Secure logical access control gives manufacturers a valuable tool to not only comply with strict OSHA operating and safety standards but safeguard the many shared workstations, machines and heavy-duty equipment that is being accessed daily by rotating shifts of personnel.

WAVE ID readers help to ensure accountability that only qualified individuals can access equipment and process controllers. The readers also support quality control initiatives through a full audit trail of users and access times. This is vital information in the event of a product recall, downtime and audits.

As for productivity, manufacturers can deploy WAVE ID badge readers in a variety of form factors , compatible with a wide range of credentials including the latest advancements such as passkeys and digital wallet credentials – alongside the prox and smart cards likely in use today. With integration across a wide range of leading manufacturing OEMs and technology partners, data in WAVE ID is a seamless addition to protect the vital processes that make your operation run. 

By implementing a passwordless authentication solution into manufacturing systems and machines like forklifts, you can better arm your plant against the unwanted cyberattacks, breaches or fines that can often be the result of lost or stolen pins or passwords. This results in a more secure, productive manufacturing operation. Learn more about how rf IDEAS is helping to bring trusted authentication to manufacturing floors like yours at www.rfIDEAS.com/manufacturing.  

Sources

1 https://services.global.ntt/ja-jp/newsroom/ntt-global-threat-intelligence-report-2021
2 https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/DB4GL8YM