The Rise of Cyber Threats in Manufacturing: Exploring a 49% Increase in 2025 and Authentise's Solutions for Additive Manufacturing Security

Manufacturing Cybersecurity in 2025: Protecting AM from Evolving Threats

In the fast-evolving world of manufacturing, cybersecurity has shifted from an IT afterthought to a board-level priority. The rise of ransomware, intellectual property (IP) theft, and Operational Technology (OT) vulnerabilities is reshaping how the industry approaches resilience - and additive manufacturing (AM) is no exception.

Ransomware: The Persistent Threat

Ransomware remains the most disruptive cyber threat to manufacturing. In the first half of 2025, ransomware attacks surged 49% year-over-year, with 4,198 reported cases. Manufacturing continues to be one of the most targeted industries, accounting for nearly 30% of all reported incidents.

The consequences are severe: halted production lines, inaccessible design files, and multimillion-dollar ransom demands. For AM, where build jobs may run for days, even short interruptions create costly ripple effects.

Intellectual Property Theft: The Silent Risk

Beyond ransomware, IP theft is an ever-present risk. Designs, material formulas, and customer data are valuable targets for cybercriminals. While enforcement actions against IP theft have risen, detection and prevention remain the primary challenge.

For AM, stolen design files aren’t just sensitive - they’re production-ready. A single breach can compromise proprietary geometries, customer trust, and regulatory compliance.

The Shift Toward OT Security

One of the most significant trends in 2024–2025 is the shift toward Operational Technology (OT) security. Once thought separate from IT risks, OT systems are now frequent targets. In fact, attacks on OT systems rose from 32% of all industrial cyber incidents in 2023 to 56% in 2024.

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and AM-specific workflows face unique vulnerabilities. With IT and OT converging, manufacturers need tailored solutions to monitor, detect, and contain threats before they spread across digital and physical environments.

Cloud Computing: Opportunities and Risks

The move to cloud-based platforms has brought agility and cost savings - but also concentrated risk. Sensitive design and production data hosted in the cloud is now a prime cyber target.

That’s why solutions like Authentise Flows provide the flexibility of on-premise deployment when required - allowing manufacturers to retain tighter control over sensitive data while still benefiting from workflow automation and integration.

How Authentise is Fighting Back

At Authentise, we’re not just highlighting the problem - we’re actively solving it. Here’s how we’re helping manufacturers scale securely:

• Secure Real-Time Measurement (DOE Project): With support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Authentise is building a real-time measurement system that can detect if malicious actors interfere with AM builds mid-process. This ensures hidden defects introduced by cyberattacks can’t slip through undetected.

• Authentise Flows - Controlled Deployment: Beyond efficiency, Flows offers modular, secure deployment options - including on-premise setups. This keeps sensitive build data inside your own infrastructure, reducing exposure to cloud-based threats.

• Authentise Threads - Protected Collaboration: Threads embeds communication directly into the digital thread, reducing reliance on unsecured email or disconnected platforms. Engineers, operators, and QA teams collaborate securely around live data, not static attachments.

• End-to-End Traceability & Compliance: Authentise captures and automates build data at every step, creating a tamper-evident audit trail. That’s not just good for efficiency - it’s a powerful defence for compliance, quality assurance, and cyber resilience.

Resilience Through Innovation

The industry is waking up to the challenge. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded $4.8 million across 10 projects to strengthen manufacturing cybersecurity. Authentise was among the recipients, securing $573,710 to develop its secure AM measurement system.

This kind of investment signals a shift: cybersecurity is now seen as a cornerstone of manufacturing innovation, not an optional extra.

Final Thoughts: Building Secure AM for the Future

Cyber threats in manufacturing aren’t slowing down - they’re accelerating. From ransomware and IP theft to OT vulnerabilities and cloud risks, the landscape is more complex than ever.

But resilience is possible. By combining workflow integration, real-time monitoring, secure deployment, and protected collaboration, manufacturers can defend their operations and scale AM without compromise.

👉 Explore Flows and book a demo to learn how Authentise helps manufacturers secure their digital thread and future-proof their AM workflows.