Penetration Testing for Manufacturing
Manufacturing organisations increasingly face cyber threats as industrial environments become more connected through Industry 4.0 initiatives, IoT sensors, and IT/OT convergence. Manufacturers are targeted by ransomware groups seeking to disrupt production, nation-state actors pursuing intellectual property theft, and supply chain attackers looking to compromise products or processes.
Penetration testing for manufacturing must address both corporate IT systems and operational technology including PLCs, SCADA systems, industrial robots, and manufacturing execution systems (MES). Testing must account for the safety implications of OT system compromises and the operational impact of production downtime.
The automotive manufacturing sector has specific requirements through TISAX, while manufacturers in the EU defence supply chain must address CMMC requirements. NIS 2 extends cybersecurity requirements to many manufacturing subsectors. Regular penetration testing helps manufacturers protect intellectual property, ensure production continuity, maintain supply chain trust, and comply with industry-specific regulations.
NetSPI
Leading penetration testing firm with the Resolve platform for continuous attack surface management, trusted by nine of the top ten US banks.
Pen Test Partners
The UK's largest independent security testing firm, renowned for IoT/OT research, CBEST red teaming, and CHECK/CREST-accredited penetration testing across all sectors.
PwC Cyber Security
Global Big Four professional services firm delivering CREST, CHECK, and CBEST-accredited penetration testing and red teaming services from London, serving the UK's largest enterprises and regulated organisations.
Trustwave
Global managed security provider with the elite SpiderLabs penetration testing team and deep PCI DSS compliance expertise.
Aristi
CHECK and CREST-accredited Birmingham-based cyber security consultancy with over 15 years of experience delivering penetration testing, red teaming, and OT security assessments for government and private sector clients.
LRQA
The only organisation worldwide with a full suite of CREST accreditations. 250+ cybersecurity specialists operating in 55+ countries across pen testing, red teaming, and incident response.
TrustedSec
Elite offensive security firm founded by a former NSA operator, delivering CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming, and adversary simulation to Fortune 500 and government clients.
Rapid7
Creators of Metasploit offering enterprise penetration testing integrated with their comprehensive vulnerability management and security operations platform.
WithSecure
Leading European cybersecurity firm offering penetration testing with deep expertise in EU regulatory compliance including GDPR, NIS 2, and TIBER-EU.
CyberLab
Cardiff-based CREST and CHECK-accredited cyber security company delivering penetration testing, red teaming, and OT security assessments as part of the Chess Group.
Redscan (A Kroll Business)
London-based cybersecurity provider, now part of Kroll, delivering CREST-accredited penetration testing, managed detection and response, and incident response with a 550-strong cyber team.
SEC Consult
Leading European cybersecurity consultancy from Vienna with a prolific vulnerability research program and deep expertise in IoT and embedded systems security.
Manufacturing Pen Testing FAQs
How do we pen test without disrupting production?+
Testing should be carefully scoped and scheduled. Passive techniques can be used on production systems. Active testing may be performed during maintenance windows or on test environments that mirror production.
Should we test our smart factory IoT devices?+
Yes. IoT devices in manufacturing environments are common attack vectors. Testing should cover device firmware, communications protocols, cloud backends, and integration with production systems.
What manufacturing-specific risks do pen testers find?+
Common findings include flat networks connecting IT and OT, default credentials on industrial equipment, unpatched PLCs, insecure remote access, and weak segmentation between production lines.