Manufacturing ransomware attacks can severely limit operations, taking all systems offline or making critical data inaccessible. Because these threats have become more prominent, many decision-makers prioritize cybersecurity for manufacturers, knowing their lack of attention could have significant and lasting consequences. Why have cybercriminals focused on this group of potential targets?
Pinpointing Expanded Attack Surfaces
Although manufacturers were not among the earliest adopters of connected technologies, many have realized they must embrace them to remain competitive and profitable. The resultant digital transformation push has enlarged the attack surface for cybercriminals to target. That increased connectivity affects global supply chains, especially as many businesses use warehouse management systems and similar cloud-based tools to keep track of inventory and know when to reorder.
An October 2025 survey found that manufacturers are the top ransomware targets for the fourth year in a row, although the frequency varies depending on the entities’ earnings. Companies earning more than $1 billion comprise 38.9% of ransomware victims, while 30% earn $100 million-$300 million. Then, among enterprises earning less than $17 million, the frequency is slightly less but still substantial, with manufacturing being the second most frequently targeted industry.
Representatives from the cybersecurity company that published the study clarified that cybercriminals deliberately target manufacturers because of the criticality of their operational continuity. These attackers exploit their targets’ expanding attack surface and the larger supply chains. They know disrupting one company’s operations could have much larger effects for the stakeholders relying on it.
Manufacturers also struggle to patch vulnerabilities in time, mainly because of how quickly new issues appear. Another interesting finding was that smaller producers should not view themselves as relatively safe from potential ransomware attacks.
Although larger companies account for a substantial portion of the overall incidents, cybercriminals know smaller contractors within the manufacturing ecosystem often have less robust defense mechanisms than their larger counterparts. Focusing on them could give attackers easier entry points.
Ransomware in the manufacturing industry is an ongoing issue. Data from 2023 showed 71% of the total incidents involved that sector, indicating cybercriminals have focused on it for a while.
Disrupting Essential Activities
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted manufacturers’ essential role in modern society. Consumers have become accustomed to seeing well-stocked store shelves and receiving what they need and want with few or no delays. Ransomware attacks disrupt those expectations, especially if affected companies must go offline for several days or weeks to address the matter.
Some businesses have improved cybersecurity compliance, driven by the fact that more than 150 countries have associated laws. Investing in cybersecurity for manufacturers prevents fines, regulatory scrutiny, and other unwanted consequences. Even so, malicious parties recognize that manufacturers are excellent targets because of the ramifications of successful attacks.
Many cybercriminals love the notoriety of manufacturing ransomware attacks that become national or international news. They believe it is worth aiming for those targets because of the attention their successes would receive. Because brands often have substantial amounts of valuable data, encompassing client records, proprietary files and additional materials containing sensitive information, those planning and orchestrating ransomware attacks can erode trust among a manufacturer’s client base.
Researchers associated with a June 2025 report on the prevalence of industrial ransomware attacks noted that manufacturers and others in critical industries must minimize unplanned downtime, making them appealing targets for these cybersecurity threats. They also confirmed that these attackers quickly update their strategies, often utilizing ransomware-as-a-service kits.
While compiling their findings, the experts examined over 250 billion logs, 79 million files, and 4,600 incident events. One conclusion was the first quarter of 2025 had 2,472 potential ransomware attacks. Because that figure represents 40% of the previous year’s total, it suggests 2025 could set records and emphasizes why manufacturing leaders should remain vigilant and tighten their networks’ defenses.
Enjoying the Likelihood of Paid Ransoms
Manufacturing ransomware attacks become useless if the victimized parties refuse to pay the amounts demanded. Because most companies need to restore operations as soon as possible after attacks, many agree to the ransom. That decision does not guarantee results, but decision-makers may view it as their best option.
They are particularly likely to engage with the cybercriminals this way if the affected facilities lack complete and current data backups. Those resources make paying the ransom much less viable because the affected parties can restore the affected information instead of giving money to criminals and hoping for the best.
A 2025 study examining the effects of ransomware attacks in multiple countries revealed that 69% of companies paid the demanded amounts. Although the figure represents a slight decrease over the previous year, it confirms that cybercriminals will most likely get what they want via these efforts. Another takeaway was that 38% of respondents paid multiple ransoms, and 11% did so at least thrice. The percentage was even higher in some countries, such as the United States, where 47% of victimized businesses provided the ransom.
Providing the ransom did not always yield the desired results. In nearly 20% of cases, the affected parties paid the money but received corrupted decryption keys or found that the hackers leaked the stolen data online after saying payment would prevent that outcome.
Some companies establish policies to never engage with cybercriminals because leaders believe that if they do so once, it encourages bad actors to target them repeatedly. The above statistics bear out that reality, but the risks of nonpayment sometimes span beyond the financial. This research indicated 40% of ransomware perpetrators threatened physical harm to executives who did not pay.
Spotlighting Manufacturing Ransomware Attacks
These trends illustrate the necessity of making cybersecurity for manufacturers a top investment. Besides strengthening internal defenses and remaining aware of emerging attack mechanisms, leaders should establish policies around ransomware payments and back up essential data to significantly lower the temptation to give in to hackers’ demands.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief at Revolutionized Magazine. A regular contributor to Brilliance Security Magazine, she has over four years of experience writing articles in the industrial sector.
.
.
Follow Brilliance Security Magazine on Twitter and LinkedIn to ensure you receive alerts for the most up-to-date security and cybersecurity news and information. BSM is cited as one of Feedspot’s top 10 cybersecurity magazines.