MiMfg Magazine March 2017 | Page 22

22 MiMfg Magazine March 2017

Member Spotlight

With a few keystrokes an expert hacker can destroy a business and that fact is keeping thousands of manufacturing executives up at night . New technological advances allow manufacturers to do more than previous generations could imagine , yet each new technology brings new risks and new entry points that must be protected . How a business handles cyber security will determine the success of the brand , the livelihood of employees and the trust of customers .
“ Technology is advancing so fast that a child born today will learn things and do things in their career that baby boomers and Generation Xers can ’ t imagine — employers need to understand the speed of technology and work to develop proper security precautions ,” says Chad Taylor , revenue acquisition manager for Demmer Corporation . “ Those who do not have adequate cyber security in place and don ’ t understand the risks will be the victims .” For the executive team at Demmer Corporation , a Lansing-based manufacturer serving defense , aerospace , automotive , energy and transportation customers

Make preparing for a hack a top priority for the whole team — from top to bottom , not just the IT department —

and never assume that it can ’ t happen to you .
located around the world , there is no substitute for preparation and vigilance .
“ Most manufacturers are vulnerable to hacking — that ’ s the nature of doing business in the 21 st century ,” says Taylor . “ If your business has good internal communication , performs regular research on existing threats and weak points , and tests its own security standards , you ’ ll reduce the likelihood of a breach and be better prepared if an attack does happen .”
Demmer remains on the forefront of manufacturing ’ s war against cyber attacks . The company ’ s military contracts make it a logical target and customers demand that it meet specific cyber security standards .
“ We ’ re vigilant and have been able to identify past threats , but hackers always develop new methods of attack — what worked yesterday won ’ t always work tomorrow ,” says Taylor . “ Just like manufacturing ’ s technology is growing
A dedicated Demmer team member works with a Hamilton Stamping Press at one of the company ’ s Lansing facilities at an exponential rate , the skills of hackers are increasing just as fast .” As companies utilize new technologies and adapt to growing trends like light rail , autonomous vehicles and new energy advances , they must adapt existing cyber security procedures and train their talent . Client information , employee data , patents , research and development , and access to machines are all too vital to be left unsecured .
“ When dealing with 21 st century cyber attacks , you must have a vigilant IT department and communicate threats with your whole team ,” says Taylor . “ It takes everyone working together to combat these threats . Make sure your team is properly trained and that they understand why they are being trained . Once they know why these security protocols exist — and what ’ s at stake if a breach is successful — they ’ ll be that much more invested .”
Regular communication about potential cyber attacks and sharing existing best practices for avoiding them is the best defense for a manufacturer of any size .

“ Manufacturers are always building something new and when you build new things , you can ’ t predict what challenges will arise but you can prepare to deal with them when they do . It ’ s the same with cyber security ,” says Taylor . “ Make preparing for a hack a top priority for the whole team — from top to bottom , not just the IT department — and never assume that it can ’ t happen to you .” 6