Cyber risk for manufacturers

Marsh helps manufacturers understand, measure, manage, and respond to cyber risks across their operations.

Cyber risk management starts with understanding exposure

Cyber risks can threaten the confidentiality of information, the availability of networks, and the integrity of data and systems across manufacturing organizations. For manufacturers, these risks can be shaped by their reliance on:

Interconnected supply chains
Valuable intellectual property
Technological advancements to drive productivity (such as artificial intelligence and automation)
Complex operational technology environments, including end-of-life software

These dependencies can leave manufacturers vulnerable to cyber events, both intentional and accidental, caused by malicious activity, error, or misconfiguration, including ransomware, privacy breaches, and third-party cyber incidents. These events can move across IT, operational technology (OT), and supply-chain environments, resulting in business interruption, equipment or system disruption, physical damage, reputational harm, and other impacts.

Addressing these risks involves a coordinated, enterprise-wide approach that brings together business, security, operational, and risk stakeholders.

Marsh’s cyber risk specialists help manufacturers evaluate cyber exposures, strengthen controls, and improve response readiness across their organization. Drawing on data-driven insights from our advanced analytics, we work with manufacturers to develop cyber risk management and insurance programs tailored to their circumstances.

Why Marsh

At Marsh, we help clients better understand, measure, manage, and respond to cyber risk, enhancing resilience, reducing exposure, and supporting data-informed decisions. Leading manufacturers work with Marsh to review and compare their cybersecurity controls, develop bespoke coverage, and craft customized cyber tabletop exercises – all aimed at addressing specific manufacturing risks.

FAQs

For manufacturers, cyber risk generally refers to the potential impact of cyber incidents on manufacturing systems, operations, data, and supply chains. These risks can affect both digital environments and physical operations, especially where IT, OT, and connected systems are closely linked. Additionally, manufacturers constantly evolve in competition with peers to drive new and innovative products to enhance productivity, like the mass adoption of AI and automation. These new products are often quickly integrated by organizations when they support growth and production, but they can each come with their own set of first- and third-party risks to mitigate through cybersecurity enhancements, privacy controls/governance, and cyber insurance.

Manufacturing continues to face heightened cyber risk because of its reliance on interconnected supply chains, valuable intellectual property, and complex operational technology environments. Interruptions in service can prove especially punishing financially for manufacturers given the risk of lost business, contractual requirements, and upstream/downstream impacts. Key cyber concerns for manufacturers include ransomware, privacy events, cyber physical damage, third-party risks, and business interruption.

Manufacturers can manage cyber risk by improving visibility across systems, operations, and dependencies; evaluating control effectiveness; documenting and testing incident response and disaster recovery plans; quantifying cyber risk; and considering risk transfer options. This helps organizations make more informed cyber risk decisions and develop better strategies.

Contact us

Connect with Marsh’s cyber risk specialists to better understand your manufacturing exposures and strengthen resilience.

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Case Study

Cyber risk for manufacturers

Cyber risk management starts with understanding exposure

Manufacturing