Increasing digital technology is creating vast new opportunities for the chemical industry yet exposing vulnerable companies to cyber threats, according to an article from Accenture Consulting. Chemical companies are encouraged to develop a holistic cybersecurity plan to protect their enterprises and assets in three distinct areas of risk.
According to Accenture, plant automation can increase efficiency but converging less secure OT systems and IT can also pose a security risk. So too does centralizing business functions across the supply chain, which may improve transparency yet increase dependence on cloud-based infrastructure. Accenture also cautions companies that install IoT sensors and run predictive analytics in order to reduce maintenance costs that the devices provide a larger attack surface with more points of entry. According to Accenture, strategic cybersecurity must go hand in hand with a more digital approach.
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