The IT challenges manufacturers face
A single network outage or failed PC can stop a line, delay orders and put customer commitments at risk. Office and shop-floor systems are often tangled together, older machine PCs are hard to patch, and customers in defense and aerospace are adding security requirements to their contracts.
Security and compliance
We separate office and shop-floor networks so a phishing email in accounting cannot reach production systems. For defense suppliers, we help you prepare for CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 (NIST SP 800-171) with a gap review, policies and security controls. The formal assessment is done by an outside assessor (C3PAO).
Software we work with
We keep the systems behind ERP systems, CAD such as AutoCAD, shop-floor machine PCs and label or barcode systems running. For ERP, we look after the server, backups, network and user access; your ERP vendor supports the software itself. We support the shop-floor network and machine PCs, while PLC and controller programming stays with your machine vendor or integrator. We make sure their connectivity and data flow stay stable. Common examples include ERP systems such as Epicor, JobBOSS, SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics, along with SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Mastercam and label software like BarTender.
How we help
- Monitored networks for the office and the plant, kept separate and secure.
- Support for machine PCs, label printers and scanners.
- Backups for ERP and engineering data, with tested restores.
- CMMC preparation for defense suppliers.
- Planning for aging hardware that cannot be patched.
If data is exposed
Employee records and customer data are still covered by state breach laws, and a ransomware attack that exposes them can trigger notice duties. Encryption, multi-factor authentication and good logging make a breach less likely and much easier to scope. Our guide to data breach notification laws explains the deadlines and who to notify.
Getting a quote
Every quote is written for your environment after a short call about your users, devices and the systems you rely on. Agreements are longer-term rather than month to month, which gives us time to document your systems and close security gaps properly. Request a quote.