46% of Industrial Firms Hit by Cyber Incidents in Past Year

Nearly half of industrial organizations worldwide experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year, even as the vast majority express confidence in their defenses, according to new research from Rockwell Automation.

The automation technology company surveyed 1,560 manufacturing and industrial operations decision-makers across 17 countries. More than one-third of respondents identified cybersecurity risk as among the biggest external obstacles to growth—a concern amplified by the convergence of information technology and operational technology systems, expanded AI adoption, and increased connectivity across industrial environments.

The findings, released September 22, 2026, reveal a notable disconnect: while 46% of organizations reported experiencing a cyber incident in the previous 12 months, 90% said they remain confident in their ability to prevent, contain, or recover from such events.

Investment and perceived returns

Industrial firms are backing their confidence with capital. The study found that 62% of organizations have already invested in cybersecurity platforms, and respondents ranked cybersecurity as the second-highest return-on-investment technology category among their investments.

Looking forward, 45% of organizations plan to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to cybersecurity initiatives over the next year. These technologies are being deployed to improve detection, monitoring, and risk management capabilities within industrial settings.

IT/OT convergence creates dual challenge

The integration of information technology and operational technology systems emerged as both a vulnerability and an opportunity. Survey respondents identified IT and OT integration points as the second-most vulnerable area to cyber incidents. When IT and OT systems converge, the attack surface expands, introducing new connectivity points that allow threats originating in corporate IT environments to potentially disrupt industrial operations.

At the same time, 37% of respondents said securing IT/OT architecture will drive positive business outcomes over the next five years, suggesting organizations view the challenge as manageable with proper investment and strategy.

Why it matters

As manufacturers adopt connected operations and industrial IoT at scale, a single cybersecurity breach can cascade across production lines, safety systems, and supply chains. The gap between incident rates and confidence levels suggests many organizations may be underestimating their exposure or overestimating the effectiveness of their current defenses. For industrial leaders, the data underscores that technology investments alone don't create resilience—cybersecurity must be embedded in business strategy and operational planning.

"True resilience is built when cybersecurity becomes an integral part of business strategy," said Rick Kaun, global director of cybersecurity services at Rockwell Automation, in the report. "Organizations that proactively manage risk and prepare for disruption are better positioned to protect operations, sustain production and gain a competitive advantage."

The research was conducted by Sapio Research in partnership with Rockwell Automation and sampled companies with revenues ranging from $100 million to over $30 billion across sectors including consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, automotive, semiconductor, energy, and life sciences. The full report, titled "Operational Resilience in the Age of Connectivity," was first reported by Rockwell Automation.