Significant number of industrial companies have no data protection: study shows

The research, produced by Honeywell, found that industrial companies are not moving quickly in the adoption of cyber-security measures to protect their data.

A study by Honeywell has revealed that industrial companies are not moving quickly to adopt cyber-security measures to protect their data and operations.

Honeywell recently released a report conducted by LNS Research titled ‘Putting Industrial Cyber Security at the Top of the CEO Agenda’, which surveyed 130 strategic decision-makers from industrial companies.

The study showed that a significant number of industrial companies haven’t adopted fundamental measures in cyber security.

Safdar Akhtar, business development director for industrial cyber security at Honeywell Process Solutions, said that companies can only reap the benefits of digital transformation and industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) if they took basic measures for data security.

“Decision-makers are more aware of threats, and some progress has been made to address them, but the report reinforces that cyber-security fundamentals haven’t been adopted by a significant portion of the industrial community.

"In order to take advantage of the tremendous benefits of industrial digital transformation and IIoT, companies must improve their cyber-security defences and adapt to the heightened threat landscape now," Akhtar said.

The survey revealed that more than half of respondents reported working in an industrial facility that already has had a cyber-security breach, and that only 37% are monitoring for suspicious behaviour.

Matthew Littlefield, president and principal analyst, LNS Research, said, "Cyber-security needs to be part of every leader’s agenda to ensure the effective, immediate and long-term deployment of strategies and technologies such as IIoT.

“In order for a business to succeed on its digital transformation journey, it needs to succeed with industrial cyber-security."