The Real Cost of IT Downtime in Manufacturing

Catastrophic weather events, system outages, and malicious cyberattacks are all causes of IT downtime that can interrupt day-to-day operations. Preemptive measures like backup generators and redundant systems are effective means of minimizing some forms of disruptions. Cyberattacks require a more active approach.

Meanwhile, the productivity that’s lost as a result can be calculated in dollars while the impact of missed delivery dates or embarrassing headlines can’t be easily qualified. For most businesses, longstanding customer relationships are their greatest asset and a strong reputation built over years or decades can be quickly eroded by disruptions that stall productivity.

Today, the most common cause of downtime can’t be easily or completely prevented. That’s because cyberattacks come in myriad forms and are often uniquely designed to exploit weaknesses in a company’s technical environment, employees, or systems. They also represent a large and lucrative illegal industry that’s projected to grow. In Aug. 2026, Cybercrime Magazine predicted that the total damages stemming from cybercrime could reach as high as $12.2 trillion by 2031.

However, even as intrusion attempts are modern facts of life for manufacturing businesses, there are effective ways to flag and stop intruders in their tracks and minimize the damage from breaches.

Redundancy Controls and Documentation

In the more mundane and manageable cases, disruptions can be mitigated using failsafe measures that activate when needed. Think of generators that can be called upon when utility providers are offline, backup systems that can be called on when critical technology fails, and other forms of continuity-of-business controls.

Effective redundancy-based failsafe measures must support every essential business function. For example, a generator that powers your shop floor may be insufficient if that same system does not also deliver emergency power to the back-office technology. It’s important to recognize the full extent of your business’ reliance on technology. After all, productivity stalls whether an outage affects fabrication on the shop floor or computers that run crucial design, management, and tooling software.

It’s also important to document how responsibility is assigned in the event of an emergency. In a chaotic environment, the ability to reference documented policy can relieve pressure, instill confidence, and help those managing disruptions take concrete steps toward resolution.

By creating backstops that prevent cascading failures from compounding, manufactures can limit the reputational and monetary damages that stem from disruption. However, more complex and malicious attacks, most commonly relating to cybercrime, require a fundamentally different approach grounded in security principles.

Preventing Disruptive Cyber Attacks

The most effective way to prevent disruptive cyber security events is to effectively manage your tools. First and foremost, that means ensuring the software your business is running is up-to-date and complete, with all the latest security features. The same goes for mechanical equipment – a tall order for many manufacturers with decades old OT. If core fabrication technology is out of date or no longer supported, latent vulnerabilities can be more easily exploited. Attackers simply need to learn, through social engineering, brute force intrusion attempts, or other means, that your facility uses CNC machines with a known exploit to take advantage.

Protecting your technology requires actively working to stay abreast of any latent vulnerabilities and applying updates and patches to close security gaps. Failing to engage in preemptive security best-practices only invites potentially devastating consequences like prolonged downtime, missed orders, and sudden, unexpected, and high technology replacement costs.

The Security Solution

Managed security service providers (MSSP) help manufacturers build and maintain resilient production environments. That limits the risk of security incidents and ensures data recovery plans are available in the event of a breach. MSSPs also offer 24/7 analysis to keep an eye on your network and contain any concerning behavior. In a complementary fashion, managed service providers (MSP) can work with your business to create a roadmap to bring your OT up to meet modern day standards. Typically, modernization roadmaps chart 12, 24, or 36 month plans with the dual benefit of modernizing your technology for efficiency and keeping it protected for bad actors well into the future.

Manufacturers must also meet compliance standards with security requirements. Companies that have pursued ISO and Hightrust accreditation must pass assessments to maintain certification. In addition, the CMMC is mandatory for all businesses intending to serve the Department of Defense as contractors or subcontractors. MSP and MSSP providers not only help business adopt security-related best practices but stand out in competitive markets where reliability and compliance can be powerful engines for business generation.

If you have any questions about IT downtime in manufacturing, contact CBIZ Technology today.

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