Webinar Description
Key Takeaways
- Addresses cybersecurity challenges arising from AI-driven automation in manufacturing environments
- Focuses on securing operational technology, IoT devices, and converged IT/OT infrastructure
- Covers NIS2 Directive compliance requirements for European manufacturers
- Features expertise from Nozomi Networks, Cisco, and AWS on integrated security approaches
- Designed for security leaders, plant managers, and compliance professionals across EMEA
Introduction
The webinar “Securing Industrial and Physical AI for Manufacturing in EMEA” examines the cybersecurity implications of deploying artificial intelligence across physical manufacturing systems. Hosted by Nozomi Networks with participation from Cisco and AWS, the session targets IT and OT security professionals responsible for protecting increasingly automated production environments. As manufacturers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa accelerate their adoption of AI-powered robotics, autonomous assembly lines, and intelligent edge devices, the need for robust security frameworks has become urgent. The convergence of information technology and operational technology networks, combined with new regulatory obligations under the NIS2 Directive, creates a complex landscape that demands fresh approaches to threat detection, asset visibility, and incident response.
About This Event
This virtual webinar brings together industrial cybersecurity specialists from three organisations with complementary expertise. Nozomi Networks, which specialises in OT and IoT security monitoring, hosts the session alongside representatives from Cisco and AWS. The panel format allows for discussion of how network infrastructure, cloud platforms, and specialised security tools can work together to protect manufacturing operations. Splunk also features as a partner, reflecting the importance of security information and event management in modern industrial environments.
The educational focus centres on practical integration challenges rather than theoretical concepts. Attendees can expect discussion of how security operations centres can extend their visibility into operational technology environments, and how cloud infrastructure supports the scaling of security capabilities across distributed manufacturing facilities.
The Expanding Attack Surface in AI-Driven Manufacturing
Traditional manufacturing cybersecurity focused primarily on protecting enterprise IT systems and maintaining air gaps between corporate networks and production floors. The introduction of AI changes this model fundamentally. When intelligence moves from centralised software applications into physical systems—warehouse robots that make autonomous decisions, assembly lines that adapt in real time, edge devices that process data locally—the potential entry points for attackers multiply significantly.
These AI-enabled physical systems often communicate across previously isolated network segments, creating pathways that conventional security tools were not designed to monitor. A compromised sensor on an autonomous guided vehicle, for instance, might provide access to production scheduling systems or quality control databases. The consequences extend beyond data theft to potential physical safety hazards and production disruptions.
Manufacturers face the challenge of maintaining operational efficiency while implementing security controls that do not introduce latency or interfere with time-sensitive processes. Unlike IT environments where brief interruptions may be tolerable, manufacturing systems often require continuous operation, making traditional patch management and security scanning approaches impractical without careful adaptation.
IT/OT Convergence and Asset Visibility Challenges
The convergence of IT and OT environments represents both an operational opportunity and a security challenge. Unified networks enable better data flow between production systems and business applications, supporting advanced analytics and more responsive supply chain management. However, this integration also means that vulnerabilities in one domain can affect the other.
Achieving comprehensive asset visibility across converged environments proves difficult for many organisations. OT assets often include legacy equipment with proprietary protocols, devices that cannot run modern security agents, and systems with lifecycles measured in decades rather than years. IT security teams may lack familiarity with industrial control systems, while OT engineers may not have deep expertise in network security principles.
The webinar addresses how organisations can build unified visibility across these diverse asset types. Understanding what devices exist on the network, how they communicate, and what constitutes normal behaviour forms the foundation for effective threat detection. Without this baseline, distinguishing between legitimate operational changes and malicious activity becomes nearly impossible.
NIS2 Directive and Regulatory Compliance
The NIS2 Directive significantly expands cybersecurity obligations for organisations operating essential services within the European Union. Manufacturing companies, particularly those in sectors deemed critical to economic stability, face new requirements for risk management, incident reporting, and supply chain security. The directive introduces personal accountability for senior management, elevating cybersecurity from a technical concern to a board-level responsibility.
Compliance requires organisations to demonstrate appropriate security measures proportionate to their risk exposure. For manufacturers deploying AI and automation technologies, this means documenting how new systems are assessed for security implications, how vulnerabilities are managed throughout the equipment lifecycle, and how incidents affecting operational technology are detected and reported within mandated timeframes.
The regulatory landscape adds urgency to security investments that might otherwise be deferred. Organisations that have historically treated OT security as separate from enterprise compliance programmes must now integrate these domains under unified governance frameworks.
Integrated Security Architecture for Manufacturing
The participation of Nozomi Networks, Cisco, and AWS in this webinar reflects the multi-layered nature of modern industrial security architecture. Effective protection requires coordination between network infrastructure that can segment and monitor traffic, specialised OT security platforms that understand industrial protocols, and cloud services that provide the computational resources for advanced analytics and threat intelligence.
Security operations centre integration represents a particular focus area. Many manufacturers have invested in SOC capabilities for their IT environments but struggle to extend these investments to cover operational technology. The technical challenges include normalising data from disparate sources, correlating events across different time scales, and providing analysts with sufficient context to investigate alerts involving unfamiliar industrial systems.
Automated response capabilities require careful consideration in manufacturing contexts. While rapid containment of threats is desirable, automated actions that disrupt production processes can cause significant financial and safety consequences. The webinar explores how organisations can implement appropriate automation while maintaining human oversight for decisions with operational impact.
Who Should Attend
The session is designed for professionals with responsibility for securing manufacturing operations or ensuring regulatory compliance. Chief Information Security Officers and Chief Information Officers will find value in the strategic discussion of integrated security approaches. Heads of Manufacturing and Plant Managers can gain insight into how security considerations affect operational decisions and capital planning.
Security architects evaluating how to extend enterprise security frameworks into OT environments will benefit from the multi-vendor perspective on integration challenges. Compliance officers preparing for NIS2 implementation can understand how technical controls map to regulatory requirements. The EMEA focus makes the content particularly relevant for organisations operating within European regulatory frameworks, though the technical principles apply broadly to manufacturers worldwide pursuing secure AI adoption.