Where Complexity Grows, Risk Follows
Operating across a sprawling 450,000 square foot campus, our client runs 24/7 production lines using over 120 industrial robots, 3,000+ IoT sensors, and integrated MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) that connects their supply chain, inventory management, quality control, and shipping functions.
As a Tier-1 supplier to global automotive manufacturers and medical technology companies, their facility produces sophisticated electronic assemblies including automotive control modules, EV battery management systems, and Class II medical device components.
Given the criticality of their production schedules and the high value of their output, even minor disruptions could translate into significant financial losses and supply chain bottlenecks for their international partners.
However, the rapid expansion of connected devices in their operations outpaced their security tools. Multiple, disconnected endpoint protection and monitoring systems created visibility gaps, making it impossible to track device activities in real-time or detect potential intrusions early.
When anomalous behavior was flagged, security teams often had to manually correlate logs from different platforms, delaying their ability to respond effectively to threats. This fragmented approach left the facility vulnerable, particularly as ransomware and targeted OT cyberattacks on manufacturing environments became more sophisticated.
The company's challenges were further complicated by the specialized nature of their operating environment. Their production floor includes legacy industrial control systems dating back 15 years alongside state-of-the-art robotics and IoT infrastructure. This dependence on both modern and antiquated technologies working together created significant compatibility issues with standard security solutions.
Additionally, their regulatory compliance requirements, spanning ISO 27001, automotive TISAX standards, and FDA regulations for medical device components, demanded comprehensive security documentation that was increasingly difficult to produce across fragmented systems.
Solution: Unified Security Management with My OPSWAT Central Management
To regain control over their security posture, the plant deployed My OPSWAT Central Management as a unified security management platform across the entire production environment.
The implementation team worked closely with the plant's security and OT teams to:
Consolidate Security Management
Replace siloed tools with a unified dashboard showing all endpoints and assets
Enhance Threat Detection
Deploy granular monitoring of device behavior and access patterns across IT and OT environments
Automate Response Protocols
Create customized alert workflows with automated notifications based on severity and device classification
Streamline Documentation
Generate comprehensive reports meeting industry compliance requirements automatically
The manufacturer valued My OPSWAT Central Management’s seamless integration with industrial protocols and OPSWAT products, including MetaDefender Drive and MetaDefender Kiosk, without impacting production performance. This centralized platform gave the security team unified visibility with a single-pane-of-glass dashboard and control over all endpoints under a single license, reducing complexity and ensuring consistent protection across sites.
The sheer scale of our operation, with thousands of connected devices across multiple production lines, demanded a solution that could grow with us. My OPSWAT Central Management's scalable architecture handles our entire device ecosystem without performance degradation, which was a critical requirement given our 24/7 operation.
Chief Security Officer
Scaled Device Management
With over 3,500 connected endpoints ranging from industrial controllers to quality testing equipment, the manufacturer needed centralized visibility and control. My OPSWAT Central Management provided a unified console to browse, monitor, and manage their entire network of interconnected kiosks, drives, and endpoints, creating a single pane of glass for device management.
Enhanced Risk Monitoring
The security team now receives detailed, real-time information about detected threats and blocked files across all systems. This has been particularly valuable in their R&D labs, where intellectual property protection is critical.
Peripheral Media Protection
Given the frequency of vendor interactions and maintenance activities in the manufacturing environment, controlling removable media was a critical security requirement. OPSWAT's advanced scanning and policy enforcement for USBs and external drives have prevented several potential malware infections.
Hardware Supply Chain Security
Operating in a sensitive industry producing components for automotive safety systems and medical devices, the plant needed to verify the integrity of all hardware entering their facility. My OPSWAT Central Management's hardware supply chain security features help them detect unauthorized modifications and prevent potential supply chain attacks.
Detailed Reports
The compliance team particularly valued the comprehensive reporting capabilities, which provide forensic analysis of cyberthreats detected across their network. These reports have streamlined their regulatory audit process and improved visibility for executive stakeholders. A key advantage of OPSWAT Central Management was its ability to integrate with their existing industrial equipment without requiring hardware replacements.
Outcome
Six months after full deployment, My OPSWAT Central Management has transformed the manufacturer's security posture and operational efficiency. As the plant continues to expand operations and integrate additional IoT sensors, the flexible architecture of My OPSWAT Central Management easily accommodated both company-owned systems and BYOD endpoints while maintaining security in their compliance-restricted environment.
Beyond security improvements, the unified management approach has yielded operational benefits:
- Reduced overtime for security staff by 35% through more efficient monitoring
- Decreased audit preparation time from weeks to days with centralized documentation
- Improved collaboration between IT and OT teams with shared visibility and standardized protocols
- Enhanced maintenance planning through better device health monitoring
We're now planning deployment across our additional facilities in Vietnam and Malaysia. What started as a security project has evolved into a strategic operational advantage. The visibility My OPSWAT Central Management provides has become essential to how we manage our production environment
Chief Security Officer
The security team is particularly excited about leveraging OPSWAT's risk monitoring capabilities more extensively as they continue to mature their security operations center. By enhancing their ability to detect anomalous behavior patterns, they aim to reduce their threat detection time even further.
A Future-Proof Security Strategy
This implementation demonstrates how modern manufacturing facilities can overcome the complex challenge of securing converged IT/OT environments without compromising operational performance. For manufacturers navigating the complex balance between operational technology and cybersecurity requirements, My OPSWAT Central Management offers a proven path forward—one that enhances protection while supporting the continuous production demands that drive business success.
Ready to Secure Your Manufacturing Environment?
Contact our experts today to learn how My OPSWAT Central Management can help unify your security approach while respecting the unique requirements of your production systems.
