The manufacturing industry is very vulnerable to hacking, and businesses often don’t realize how at risk they really are. This false sense of security can be especially true of manufacturing businesses that don’t collect a lot of customer data and thus assume they don’t need to worry about cybersecurity too much. But data security goes beyond just protecting customer data and includes major cybersecurity problems such as intellectual property theft.

Manufacturers use a variety of documents that are key to producing their products, including specs, blueprints, CAD files, and other electronic documents. And beyond a random hacking, anything from corporate espionage, human error, or technical breakdowns can bring production – and business – to a grinding halt.

The Growing Cybersecurity Risk for Manufacturing Companies

Cybercrime is on the rise, and the manufacturing industry is one of the top targets. In one massive hacking operation called “Operation Ghoul,” more than 130 manufacturing, industrial, and engineering companies across the globe were targeted in an email phishing scheme to goad employees of these companies to unwittingly release highly sensitive corporate data.

These phishing schemes and cyberattacks can be relentless, and require around the clock cyber vigilance through the use of secure firewalls, anti-virus software, data security procedures, and more.

One of the key vulnerabilities for manufacturing and industrial companies is the constant flow of documents being sent between employees and offices. Now, with the almost exponential growth of remote work thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the danger of insecure documents is even greater.

If employees are sending unencrypted documents through standard, unencrypted email, they can be easily hijacked and stolen. This can cause huge problems with intellectual property theft and potential loss of patents.

Unfortunately, the manufacturing industry has developed a bit of a reputation for being a bit slow to enact strong cybersecurity practices. Some speculate this may have to do with a focus on traditional manufacturing values of quality and value of the finished product. From this viewpoint, cybersecurity may be simply neglected or even left as an afterthought.

Additionally, busy IT departments may not have the time or resources to fully enable the types of robust data security measures they may actually be recommending to their superiors. Budget constraints may also be a cause of the lack of investment into top-of-the-line cybersecurity protocols.

But part of this reluctance to engage may be a result of falsely assuming that data security needs to be excessively expensive or take a massive amount of effort to implement. Or, the assumption might be that extra IT staff would be needed, which doesn’t fit into budgetary goals.

A document management system, however, can make a huge, positive impact on data security for manufacturing, industrial, and engineering companies. A document management solutions company like Blue Technologies creates a customized plan and strategy to implement the best secure, cloud-based document management solution. It is managed as a service, so no new IT staff are required. It is thus cost-effective and agile, allowing for quick implementation.

How Document Management Can Improve Data Security for Manufacturing Companies

Manufacturing companies need to process a lot of documents and files during the product development cycle. Many businesses also need to collaborate frequently with different users across the globe. The right document management system can support business processes and facilitate collaboration while enhancing security and compliance.

A document management system provides security for all types of documents and file types. With advanced access control features, it regulates who can see what. It also provides secure collaboration opportunities.

When it comes to facilitating remote work, a secure, cloud-based document management solution cannot be beat. It allows your workers at home to securely access, edit, share, and collaborate on documents. It can keep track of versions and revisions, as well as provide regular backups, so files aren’t accidentally wiped or deleted.

Most importantly, the right document management solution provides the latest in cybersecurity measures to allow the right people in while keeping the wrong people out.

Document Management for Manufacturing Companies

If your manufacturing company is still managing documents via an ad hoc system, using the basic functions of a Google Drive account, or worse, sending files through insecure emails, it’s time to upgrade to a cohesive document management system. The first step is to get a thorough assessment of your existing processes and document repositories. Then, we can help plan the right solution for your goals.

Blue Technologies provides document management services to the manufacturing industry in Ohio. Contact us today to discuss your needs!