Nearly one-third of British manufacturers reported experiencing cyber-incidents within the previous 12 months, either directly or through their supply chains, according to research released by MakeUK, an industry advocacy organization. The findings underscore escalating cybersecurity vulnerabilities affecting the manufacturing sector at a time when digital threats have grown more sophisticated and widespread.
The timing of the survey comes roughly a year after a major incident at JLR, Britain’s largest automotive employer, which suspended operations for several weeks following a cyberattack. Analysts at the independent Cyber Monitoring Centre estimated the attack cost the UK economy at least £1.9bn, potentially marking the most significant cyber incident in British history. Reporting in June indicated that British law enforcement attributed the attack to Russian hackers. Recent years have also seen other prominent targets affected, including two FTSE 100 manufacturers—valve maker IMI and components supplier Smiths Group—that reported breaches within days of each other earlier this year, as well as major retailers including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods.
Despite the mounting threat, the MakeUK survey revealed concerning gaps in preparedness, with only half of affected manufacturers having established response protocols for attacks. Among companies impacted by supply chain breaches, approximately 30% reported customer delivery delays or production cutbacks, while nearly a quarter experienced supplier delivery delays or material shortages.
Security experts attribute the escalating risk to multiple factors, including increased sophistication among attackers often state-sponsored, the expansion of interconnected factory systems designed to improve operational efficiency, and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools capable of autonomous hacking. The UK government estimates annual cybercrime costs to the economy at £14.7bn. Officials with the National Cyber Security Centre have stressed that manufacturers must elevate cybersecurity to a core business priority.
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