New ABB study: Cybersecurity now ranks as top concern among automakers, suppliers
What you'll learn:
- Automotive manufacturing leaders rank cybersecurity as their top concern across all regions of the world and supplier tiers, even above cost-cutting.
- The surge in importance of cybersecurity in part stems from the impact of cyberattacks on production, supply chains and even finished vehicles.
- The survey emerges as industries scramble to effectively blunt the threat of cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, which now consistently rates as the top mode of incursion against manufacturing by bad actors.
Automotive manufacturing leaders rank cybersecurity as their top concern across all regions of the world and supplier tiers, beating out more traditional issues such as cost reduction and newer ones such as AI and flexible manufacturing, according to a newly minted survey.
ABB Robotics’ Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey for 2025, the results from which were released last week, found that 95% of vehicle makers rated cybersecurity as a significant manufacturing concern, with 53% ranking it “extremely significant.”
See also: Ransomware attacks set new records in 2025, hitting manufacturing the hardest
ABB, in partnership with media brand Automotive Manufacturing Solutions, surveyed 473 automotive industry leaders representing vehicle manufacturers and suppliers globally last year.
“Cybersecurity is no longer something manufacturers are thinking about for the future—it is something they must address at the heart of production today,” said the managing director of ABB’s automotive business line, Joerg Reger. “As factories become more connected, software-driven and data-intensive, cybersecurity has become a core manufacturing discipline.”
See also: Black Kite: Data breaches escalate to records amid slow disclosure by supply chain companies
According to ABB’s survey, the surge in importance of cybersecurity stems in part from the impact of cyber incidents on production, supply chains and even finished vehicles. The risk goes beyond IT systems into core manufacturing operations.
The research cites no specific cyber incidents. But data from other sources shows the cost of cyberattacks on manufacturing in stark dollar amounts, with ransomware driving damages globally to an estimated $74 billion.
Cyber incidents specifically involving operational technology, the factory-level gear that controls most production processes and is arguably the most vulnerable to attack, could cost up to $329.5 billion in losses worldwide.
Additionally, advancements in robotics, analytics, digital twins and AI—which have created significant improvements in production—depend on secure connectivity, ABB's report emphasizes.
Across companies, OEMs and first- and second-tier suppliers ranked cybersecurity as the most significant area. The ranking also dominated across manufacturers in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Cost reduction and automation and robotics followed closely behind.
The rating of cybersecurity in the ABB survey is notable in the automotive manufacturing industry, which involves many different companies across the supply chain that are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Suppliers are highly vulnerable to cyberattacks, with over a 400% surge in such incidents between 2021 and 2023, according to Cowbell, which provides cyber insurance to small and medium-size enterprises. Nearly 30% of breaches now involve third parties.
Changes in vehicle-building sector drive cybersecurity attitudes
According to the ABB survey, the surge in importance also results from changes in manufacturing in the automotive sector, such as supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and pressure to meet sustainability targets. Companies also face industrywide shifts toward digitalization, like changes in production toward electric vehicles and increased investments in “smart” factories.
“Rather than rejecting digitalization, manufacturers are demanding stronger assurance that connected production can be deployed safely and resiliently,” Reger said.
“With more than nine in 10 survey respondents expecting increased use of AI and big-data management, and a similar number planning greater adoption of digital twins and simulation, secure connectivity is no longer optional."
See also: Industries need cyber insurance more than ever, but the rules are tightening
Respondents to the ABB survey also reported areas of focus that will become significant over the next five years: Cybersecurity, cost reduction, automation and robotics, big data management, AI and software. The ABB respondents ranked them all above 94%.
The ABB survey is emerging as manufacturers across industries scramble to effectively mitigate the risks of cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, which now consistently rates as the top mode of incursion by threat actors.
In fact, manufacturers were hit the hardest by ransomware attacks last year of any industrial sector, with a 58% year-over-year increase in victims, according to one study.
About the Author
Sarah Mattalian
Staff Writer
Sarah Mattalian is a Chicago-based journalist writing for Smart Industry and Automation World, two brands of Endeavor Business Media, covering industry trends and manufacturing technology. In 2025, she graduated with a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, specializing in health, environment and science reporting. She does freelance work as well, covering public health and the environment in Chicagoland and in the Midwest. Her work has appeared in Inside Climate News, Inside Washington Publishers, NBC4 in Washington, D.C., The Durango Herald and North Jersey Daily News. She has a translation certificate in Spanish.