Connected Robots Driving Demand For Cyber Security In Industrial Manufacturing

Security concerns in industrial manufacturing are increasing. Robotics systems are connected to other robots, to enterprise IT systems and to the cloud, which enables access to internal systems and data servers. The data collected by robots is used by manufacturers to maximize the production efficiency and improve product quality.

To ensure that production remains a safe activity and environment, manufacturers are investing in cyber security solutions to address authentication, data encryption, secure communication, data privacy and denial-of-service (DOS) protection to protect robots from hacking and to deal with process-related vulnerabilities. Cyber security is a top priority for manufacturers as cyber-attacks on robots could have long-lasting effects on production and loss for the business.

As a result, the demand for cyber security solutions and services in robotics is increasing to prevent robots from being hacked, monitor the vulnerabilities, prevent the data from being tampered, and to prevent unauthorized access.

See Related: Industrial IoT Concerns Worsen As More Devices Connect To The Web

The Need For Increased Cyber Security In The Industrial Robotics Market

A recent report from Future Market Insights (FMI) highlights the need for increased cyber security in the industrial robotics market. The market intelligence firm identified three key market trends driving the need for increased cyber security solutions:

• Robotics systems are increasingly relying on cloud services that lie outside of the traditional enterprise security perimeter
• The need for increased cyber defense relies upon greater use of automation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to scale capabilities that match or exceed the rate of attacks
• A greater reliance on IT systems requires increasing the data protection for information security

Solutions addressing DOS protection are expected to witness high adoption rates in the industrial robotics market during the next 10 years, according to the report’s authors, due to an overloading of online services that are vulnerable to DOS attacks. Furthermore, greater attention is being given to information security, human safety and data protection which, in turn, is creating potential growth opportunities for the market ecosystem for cyber security in robotics.

Similar to other industry sectors, robotics in manufacturing are impacted by a lack of qualified professionals and a steep learning curve to migrate applications to the cloud.

Cloud-based Security in Robotics: The data gathered by robots in different sectors can be stored on the cloud and can be used in the future. This ensures productivity growth and lower costs for enterprise. Cloud-based security is important in robotics as it provides better tracking and monitoring of systems than other security solutions. It also provides real-time firewall and signature updates that can lead to blocking harmful traffic.

Cyber Security Certification of Industrial and Operational Technology Professionals: In Feb 2019, TÜV Rheinland introduced the Certified Operational Technology Cybersecurity Professional certification program to address the demand for cyber security expertise in the industrial security sector and operational technology (OT).

See Related: Cloud Security: A CISO Guide By Cyber Security Hub

North America Leads In Robotics Cyber Investment

According to FMI, the global cyber security in robotics market was valued at US$ 2.4 billion in 2018. The market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% over the next ten years.

An increase in both volume and range of cyber-attacks are factors driving demand for robotics cyber security solutions. Common cyber-attacks include robot DOS, Man-in-the-Middle, spoofing, phishing and brute force attack.

North America is a prominent region for the cyber security in robotics market, which accounted for approximately 45% share in 2018. The region is heavily investing in robotics security to improve the manufacturing productivity.

See Related: Top 8 Industries Reporting Data Breaches In The First Half Of 2019