Digital Lockouts: How Hackers Can Halt Your Assembly Line Overnight

Imagine walking into your plant tomorrow morning… and every machine is offline.

No mechanical failure. No power outage. Just a locked screen demanding payment in cryptocurrency to get your systems back. That’s the reality of ransomware in manufacturing.

This is a production killer.

Why Manufacturers Are a Ransomware Target

Manufacturers are prime targets because downtime is expensive, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars per hour. Hackers know the pressure to get back online fast, and they use it to force payment.

In fact, studies show that manufacturers lose on average $1.9 million per day to ransomware‑induced downtime.¹

A digital lockout can:

• Stop production instantly

• Corrupt or delete critical design and order files

• Delay shipments and damage customer relationships

  
  

Three Ways to Avoid a Digital Lockout

1. Back Up Daily – Store backups offline so ransomware can’t encrypt them.

2. Segment Critical Systems – Keep production controls separate from your office network.

3. Run Phishing Drills – Many ransomware attacks start with a single click on a bad email.

   
   

The Bigger Picture

Ransomware isn’t just an IT problem — it’s a business continuity problem. Without a prevention plan, you’re betting your entire production schedule on luck.

Your Takeaway

This week, ask your IT team one question: If ransomware hit us tonight, how fast could we get back online? If they can’t give you a confident answer, it’s time to make a plan.

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¹ https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/ransomware-manufacturing-companies/