Threat actors have become more familiar with potential vulnerabilities in manufacturing environments because of the perception that these networks represent an easier target. One recent study found the average cost of downtime for manufacturers due to ransomware was US$1.3 million per day. This paper details why manufacturing organizations should transition away from relying solely on traditional network segmentation and air gaps, and instead embrace a zero trust approach that assumes no user, device, or system is inherently trustworthy. Arguably, air gaps have never been completely secure—but now, more than ever as IT and OT environments converge, new risks are being introduced. Only a zero trust architecture can ensure resilient, secure operations for both the present and future.

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