Prioritizing system security should be paramount among Northeast Wisconsin manufacturers, advises a Rockwell Automation expert on this week’s episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights, the official podcast of Insight Publications with the NEW Manufacturing Alliance.
“Companies really just need to start to prioritize security in their systems,” senior network and security solutions consultant Ahmik Hindman tells co-hosts Kate Bruns and Ann Franz. “Look at what they have. Ask your suppliers what we can do to lock down this system. I bet you’d be surprised … there’s a lot of functionality that just needs to be enabled.”
On the show, Hindman discusses the implementation of CISA’s recent zero trust for OT guidance in the manufacturing environment, as well as other hot automation topics such as AI, secure data management, and the benefits of automation in addressing workforce shortages.
He walks listeners through the latest CISA guidance but also offers practical advice for dealing with legacy equipment on the shop floor.
“The challenge becomes with facilities that have been around a while. They’ve got 40‑year‑old controllers still being used, and we still see those today … there’s no security for those guys,” he says. “So now you’ve got to look at how do we deploy this zero trust in those configurations.”
For more with Hindman, including what he considers his best leadership insight, listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any audio podcast platform. New episodes are released on Thursdays.
All episodes of NEW Manufacturing Insights are sponsored by Stoke RGA. Learn more about how Stoke RGA is helping Midwest manufacturers at stokerga.com.
