Five things you can do to improve your manufacturing business's cyber security today

Here are five practical steps you can take to quickly and easily strengthen your cyber security and reduce business risk.

1. Review who has access to your systems

Over time, businesses can accumulate user accounts and permissions that are no longer needed.

Review who can access critical systems and sensitive information. Remove unnecessary accounts and ensure employees only have access to the systems they need for their role.

2. Protect accounts with strong passwords and multifactor authentication

Weak passwords remain one of the most common routes into business systems.

Encourage employees to use unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication wherever possible. Multifactor authentication adds an extra layer of protection, making it much harder for attackers to gain access to your accounts.

3. Make cyber security part of everyday conversations

Cyber security is about people as much as technology.

Regularly discuss cyber risks with employees, share examples of phishing emails and encourage staff to report anything suspicious. Building awareness and promoting phishing reporting processes across the workforce can help prevent small mistakes becoming costly incidents.

4. Check your backup and recovery processes

If your systems became unavailable tomorrow, how quickly could your business recover?

Review what data is being backed up, how often backups are taken and whether they have been tested. Make sure relevant staff can access and retrieve data when required. Effective backups can help reduce disruption and support business continuity if an incident occurs.

5. Get expert support with cyber security

One of the biggest challenges for manufacturers is knowing where to start.

An independent assessment can help identify vulnerabilities, prioritise improvements and identify a path towards recognised standards such as Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001.

That's why Made Smarter Yorkshire and Sheffield Hallam University are delivering a new £400,000 Government-funded cyber security pilot for Yorkshire manufacturers.

The fully funded programme provides expert guidance, practical training and support to help manufacturers strengthen their cyber resilience, develop Cyber Security Champions and work towards recognised cyber security certifications.

Jessica Armitage, Made Smarter Programme Manager, said: "Many manufacturers know cyber security is important but aren't always sure where to begin. Small improvements can make a significant difference, particularly when supported by expert guidance and a clear plan."

"Made Smarter's fully funded programme gives manufacturers practical support to understand their cyber risks, strengthen their defences and build confidence for the future."

Take the next step

Cyber security is no longer just an IT issue. An incident can disrupt production, delay orders and impact customers and suppliers. It’s up to every single member of staff to practice cyber resilience.

Taking action now can help protect your operations, strengthen business resilience and support growth.

Find out more and register your interest at www.madesmarter.uk/yorkshire-cyber.