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Good Security

Industry

Manufacturing & Logistics

Virtual CISO services for NZ manufacturers and logistics operators securing operational technology, supply chains, and intellectual property.

Sector Reality

The risk is rarely just technical.

Business owners in this sector usually come to security because of operational exposure, customer demands, or a sense that the business has outgrown ad hoc arrangements.

Securing the Systems That Keep New Zealand Moving

Virtual CISO services for NZ manufacturers and logistics operators securing operational technology, supply chains, and intellectual property.

Common Pressure Points

Where manufacturing & logistics businesses usually get exposed.

These challenges tend to create the urgency behind customer questions, insurer friction, or leadership concern.

Operational Technology and IT Convergence

Modern manufacturing increasingly connects operational technology — production line controllers, SCADA systems, and industrial IoT sensors — to corporate IT networks. This convergence creates pathways for cyber threats to move from email inboxes to production floors, where a security incident can halt physical operations and create safety hazards.

Supply Chain Digital Integration

NZ manufacturers and logistics operators are deeply embedded in digital supply chains, exchanging production data, inventory information, and shipping records with customers and partners. Each digital integration point requires security governance, and a compromise in your systems can cascade through the entire supply chain.

Intellectual Property and Trade Secret Protection

Manufacturing firms hold valuable IP including product designs, formulations, process innovations, and customer specifications. State-sponsored and commercial espionage targeting NZ manufacturing IP is a documented threat, and many firms lack the controls to detect or prevent systematic data exfiltration.

Legacy System Vulnerabilities

Manufacturing environments commonly run legacy systems — PLCs, HMIs, and industrial controllers — that cannot be patched, updated, or replaced without significant operational disruption. These systems were designed for reliability and safety, not cybersecurity, and require compensating controls and network segmentation strategies to manage risk.

Customer and Export Market Security Requirements

Major NZ and international customers increasingly include cybersecurity requirements in supplier agreements. Export-focused manufacturers face additional expectations from overseas markets, and failure to demonstrate adequate security governance can result in lost contracts and restricted market access.

Standards That Apply

Obligations and expectations that commonly shape this sector.

These are the standards, obligations, and buyer expectations most often referenced in this space.

Common obligations and buyer expectations

Privacy Act 2020 Customer Supply Chain Security Requirements Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (OT safety intersection) Industry-Specific Export Standards ISO 27001 (customer-driven)

Questions We Hear

Commercial questions before a buyer commits.

These are the objections and concerns business owners in this sector usually need resolved before they spend money.

We're a mid-size manufacturer — can we justify the cost of security governance? +

Manufacturing is the number one most-targeted sector globally for ransomware, with attacks surging 61% year-on-year. Firms face an average of 28 days operational downtime and $1.3 million USD in recovery costs following an attack. Even a fraction of that impact dwarfs the cost of a structured programme. Our engagements start at $1,750 per month — less than the cost of a single day of unplanned production downtime for most NZ manufacturers.

Our IT team handles our cybersecurity — why do we need more? +

Your IT team manages your corporate network and business systems. But operational technology security, intellectual property protection, supply chain risk governance, and customer compliance requirements are governance functions that extend beyond traditional IT. When a ransomware attack moves from your email server to your production line, the response requires coordinated governance across IT, OT, operations, and leadership — not just IT troubleshooting.

We haven't been targeted — why invest in security now? +

Manufacturing is the most-attacked sector globally for ransomware, with attacks surging 61% year-on-year. Threat actors target manufacturers because operational disruption creates immediate pressure to pay ransoms, and intellectual property has high resale value. The Mercury IT attack demonstrated that even NZ organisations that think they are not targets can be compromised through their supply chain.

What about our operational technology — can you assess OT security risks? +

Yes. Our assessments cover both IT and OT environments. We conduct structured OT risk assessments that identify vulnerabilities in production systems, SCADA controllers, and industrial IoT without disrupting operations. The focus is on practical compensating controls, network segmentation strategies, and governance frameworks that account for the reality of legacy systems that cannot be patched.

Most manufacturing & logistics businesses start with Baseline.

Manufacturing and logistics firms cannot afford production downtime or supply chain disruption. Good Security provides practical, analyst-prepared security governance that addresses both IT and operational technology risks — helping NZ manufacturers meet customer security requirements, protect intellectual property, and build resilience against the threats targeting the sector.