A Make UK survey finds that nearly one in three manufacturers suffered a cyber incident over the past year, exposing growing vulnerabilities across increasingly connected factories and supply chains while many companies remain unprepared for a major attack.
Britain’s manufacturers are facing an intensifying cybersecurity threat as increasingly sophisticated attacks target factories, corporate systems and interconnected supply chains, raising concerns about the resilience of one of the country’s most strategically important sectors.
A new survey from industry group Make UK found that 30% of manufacturers had experienced a cyber incident either directly or through their supply chain during the previous 12 months. In many cases, the disruption translated into lost production time, delays and higher operating costs. Yet despite the growing frequency of attacks, only around half of the companies surveyed had a formal plan in place for responding to a serious cyber incident.
The findings underline how cybersecurity has evolved from a predominantly information-technology issue into a fundamental operational risk for industrial businesses. Modern manufacturing plants increasingly rely on interconnected production lines, cloud platforms, automated machinery and real-time data systems to improve efficiency. Those same connections, however, can provide attackers with pathways into critical infrastructure and allow a single compromised system to disrupt operations across multiple sites.
The scale of that risk was demonstrated dramatically by the cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover in 2025. The British automotive group was forced to shut down systems across factories, offices and retail operations after discovering intruders in its network, causing weeks of disruption across the company and its extensive supplier base. The independent Cyber Monitoring Centre subsequently estimated that the attack cost the UK economy at least £1.9 billion, making it potentially the most expensive cyber incident in British history.
Manufacturers are particularly exposed because a successful cyberattack can have consequences far beyond the theft of corporate information. Compromised systems may stop machinery, interrupt logistics, delay shipments or prevent companies from obtaining critical components. Among businesses affected by attacks on their supply chains, roughly 30% of the 123 manufacturers surveyed by Make UK reported delays to customer deliveries or reductions in production. Almost a quarter also experienced supplier delays or shortages of materials and components.
The threat is spreading across corporate Britain. Major industrial groups including engineering companies IMI and Smiths Group have previously disclosed cyber incidents, while high-profile attacks have also disrupted retailers including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods. The growing number of incidents has reinforced warnings that attackers increasingly view large companies and their suppliers as interconnected ecosystems rather than isolated targets.
Government figures suggest the problem extends far beyond manufacturing. The UK’s 2025-26 Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 43% of businesses experienced some form of cyber breach or attack during the previous year, while only 25% had a formal incident-response plan. Larger businesses were significantly more likely to report attacks, reflecting both their greater digital exposure and their attractiveness to criminal groups.
The financial implications are increasingly substantial. The British government estimates that cybercrime costs the economy approximately £14.7 billion annually, while manufacturers face the additional danger that digital disruption can rapidly translate into physical production losses.
Artificial intelligence is adding another layer of complexity. Generative AI can help companies detect anomalies and automate defensive processes, but attackers are also using increasingly sophisticated automated tools to identify vulnerabilities, generate convincing phishing messages and accelerate intrusion attempts. The result is a cybersecurity environment in which companies may face persistent probing of their networks rather than isolated attacks.
The National Cyber Security Centre has consequently urged manufacturers to treat cybersecurity as a core business priority. The agency, which assisted with the response to the Jaguar Land Rover incident, is encouraging companies to strengthen defences and improve their ability to continue operating when systems are compromised.
Investment appears to be increasing. Make UK’s 2026 Executive Survey found that 55% of manufacturers planned to increase cybersecurity spending during the year, compared with 45% previously, reflecting growing recognition that digital resilience is becoming inseparable from productivity and competitiveness.
Yet the shortage of established response plans remains a significant vulnerability. Cybersecurity specialists increasingly argue that preventing every intrusion is unrealistic. Companies therefore need not only stronger perimeter defences but also tested procedures for isolating compromised systems, restoring production, communicating with suppliers and customers, and maintaining essential operations during an attack.
For British manufacturing, the issue is becoming increasingly strategic. The technologies transforming factories — automation, artificial intelligence, connected machinery and integrated supply chains — are also expanding the potential attack surface.
As manufacturers pursue greater efficiency through digitalisation, cyber resilience is therefore becoming as important as energy security, logistics or access to skilled workers. The lesson from recent attacks is increasingly clear: the damage caused by hackers does not stop at the computer network. In an interconnected industrial economy, it can quickly move from servers to assembly lines, suppliers and ultimately the wider British economy.
