Safeguarding connected industries with smarter cloud deployments

According to Statista figures, the number of IoT devices around the world will reach 32.1 billion in 2030, more than double the 15.9 billion reported in 2023. As this technology expands in use, connected systems offer promise by transforming industries such as manufacturing and transportation with expanded efficiency, valuable real-time insights and automated processes.

If we look at the manufacturing sector, sensors can continuously monitor machinery performance, allowing for predictive maintenance and reducing the risk of expensive failures. In transport, IoT devices deliver real-time data on vehicle performance, driver behaviour and traffic conditions, enabling improved fleet management and road safety.

As the manufacturing and mobility sectors become more dependent on these devices, it’s ever more crucial to safeguard them against evolving cyber threats, while ensuring their operational efficiency isn’t hindered in any way. But many organisations now use advanced digital architectures to connect operational technology, industrial systems and IT environments, adding complexity to the process of securing every endpoint in the network. A single compromised device can lead to data breaches, production disruptions or safety risks. The rise of Industry 4.0 reinforces the need for built-in protections that safeguard users and systems without disrupting daily operations.

Machine identity management and automation

Reinforcing IoT security is a multi-faceted task, and automating identity management can help by reducing the burden on human resources. When factories and supply chains become more connected, the number of machine identities - ranging from cameras and sensors to autonomous vehicles - often surpasses human identities by a wide margin.

This type of scale is hugely difficult for staff to manage, leading to discrepancies in device authentication and credential updates. Automated workflows for identity and certificate management help solve this challenge. For instance, digital certificates can be generated, assigned, and periodically renewed through predefined policies, ensuring that devices always have current credentials. Automation also covers password rotation and immediate credential revocation for decommissioned devices, which prevents overlooked accounts from becoming weak links in the system.

With process standardisation at play, manufacturers can navigate the challenge posed by staff leaving the business or the rapid introduction of new devices. This approach both heightens security and frees up IT teams to concentrate on higher-level objectives rather than repetitive manual tasks.

Real-time threat monitoring

Visibility of every connected device is also crucial to achieving best-practice IoT security. Continuous monitoring allows organisations to detect unauthorised activities or system anomalies before they escalate.

Instant alerts can detect unusual surges in data traffic, unauthorised attempts to access restricted network areas, or unexpected interactions between devices that should not be communicating. Swift detection means teams can isolate or disconnect compromised devices, analyse incident details, and respond before threats spread deeper into an environment.

Comprehensive logs and audit trails strengthen these efforts by recording user access, configuration changes and device activity. This makes it easier to trace suspicious activities back to their origin and to understand how hackers might exploit potential system weaknesses.

Regulations including GDPR and HIPAA demand that businesses keep detailed logs of how data is being safeguarded. Automated threat intelligence solutions that integrate with these monitoring systems further strengthen resilience by interpreting real-time data and highlighting urgent priorities for security teams.

Strengthening these defences helps manufacturers build confidence in digital transformation initiatives, which rely on strong device and network security to maintain steady productivity.

The invaluable role of the cloud in unified identity management

Integrating these measures into a unified framework is essential for achieving secure and scalable IoT.

Organisations often rely on a variety of devices in different locations, which complicates credential oversight and policy enforcement.

A centralised identity management approach provides a single control point for assigning access rights, revoking access, and enforcing consistent security policies. This approach extends time-tested principles such as privileged access management, widely used in IT, to IoT and operational environments. Authorised administrators can decide precisely which devices or systems a given user can access, how long that access remains valid, and what level of authentication is required.

Cloud-services are proving popular with manufacturers when overseeing these technologies. A cloud-first model simplifies expansion and ensures consistent security management as new devices come online. Rather than relying on fixed hardware investments and manual processes at each facility, security teams can manage large-scale IoT deployments through a single interface.

This allows for greater freedom in deploying software updates and addressing vulnerabilities across dispersed operations. It can also streamline data collection and analysis by funnelling raw insights from devices into a central repository, where advanced analytics or machine learning tools can identify trends and emerging threats.

Cloud-based designs can being numerous advantages, but the implementation process needs to be carefully considered. Compliance requirements differ across industries, so it is vital to choose a cloud partner that meets data governance mandates and provides robust encryption both in transit and at rest. Strong integration between cloud services and on-site equipment also matters, ensuring that a device’s security posture is consistent whether data is processed on premises or in the cloud.

A close working relationship between operations teams and IT staff is essential for conducting a comprehensive risk assessment, pinpointing critical systems and determining the best ways to protect them.

The benefits of IoT, such as optimising production, lowering costs and enhancing service quality, are significant, but they rely on a secure foundation. Automation simplifies the management of machine identities, continuous monitoring detects suspicious activity before it spreads, and centralised identity controls close security gaps that could be exploited.

Implementing these strategies within a well-structured, cloud-driven model supports rapid scaling and compliance with evolving regulations. As industries become more connected, strong security is both a safeguard and an enabler of long-term innovation, allowing organisations to expand their digital operations without negatively impacting on integrity.