Securing the Digital Factory: Protecting OT Systems in Automotive Manufacturing

Auto manufacturing is undergoing a seismic shift. Production lines are transitioning from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles (EVs), organizations are trying to preserve capital for an uncertain future, and the adoption of smart factories powered by Industry 4.0 technologies is on the rise. While robust cybersecurity strategies are paramount for the entire organization, network, systems, and data, the connected digital vehicle production process brings particular opportunities for innovation to protect operational technology (OT) assets essential for everything from robotic assembly equipment to advanced quality control systems.

As Industry 4.0 technologies like IoT, cloud computing, and advanced automation take center stage, OT systems—once isolated from external networks—are now integral to connected, data-driven environments. While these advancements usher in new levels of efficiency and innovation, they also expose OT systems to unprecedented cybersecurity risks. Securing these systems without compromising productivity is a top priority for manufacturers, particularly in complex, distributed environments with legacy devices and unique constraints.

This is where Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN comes into play. Just like seatbelts protect the driver and passengers, Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN is designed to secure communication across distributed locations and is a key component of a zero trust architecture for industrial environments. Offering seamless scalability, robust traffic segmentation with access control, and deep visibility, it enables manufacturers to protect their OT assets while ensuring operational continuity.

The OT Security Challenge

Historically, OT systems were isolated, operating in environments without direct access to external networks or the internet. However, Industry 4.0 technologies—such as IoT devices, cloud analytics platforms, and intelligent automation—have led to greater convergence between OT and IT systems. While this connectivity allows manufacturers to improve efficiency and gain valuable insights, it also makes OT systems vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Key risks to OT systems include:

• Legacy devices: With industrial OT devices needing to last 20+ years, many devices lack modern security features, making them prime targets for exploitation.
• Patch delays: Production schedules often require minimal downtime, delaying critical software updates.
• Persistent threats: Cybercriminals view manufacturing environments as attractive targets for ransomware attacks, intellectual property theft, and supply chain disruptions.

To combat these challenges, automakers need security solutions that provide fine-grained access control, visibility into communication flows, and the ability to maintain uptime without impeding operations.

A Unified Zero Trust Approach for Industrial Environments

With Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN, automakers can ensure the security of mission-critical OT systems—like robotic arms, production monitoring sensors, and conveyor belts—without disrupting uptime. Its seamless cloud-based configuration supports JIT manufacturing workflows, minimizing costly delays typically caused by traditional, hardware-intensive security solutions.

By implementing Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN, automakers can achieve secure and efficient OT-IT alignment, ensuring sensitive systems and data are protected against unauthorized access and external threats.

Securing OT Assets with Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN

1. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for modern, interconnected OT environments. Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN enforces zero trust principles, ensuring that no device, user, or application can access critical OT systems without explicit authentication and authorization. Just like EVs can have different profiles for each driver, a ZTNA architecture provides access specific to each resource, which ensures that OT systems only communicate with authorized resources. This reduces the risk of lateral movement during a cyberattack and protects OT assets from unauthorized access.

2. Application-Aware Segmentation

Like a line with specific pods and sections for each portion of the vehicle assembly process, Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN can segment SCADA systems managing complex painting or stamping processes separately from corporate IT networks, ensuring resilience in isolated environments. Similarly, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) tied to robotic welders in EV production lines can remain protected from supply chain-related malware, safeguarding precision operations.

3. Secure Cloud Connectivity

As manufacturers increasingly rely on cloud-based analytics and IoT platforms, secure communication between OT devices and the cloud is paramount. Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN establishes encrypted tunnels to the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform, ensuring data remains safe during transmission, providing end-to-end protection without requiring on-premises hardware or complex configurations.

4. Edge Security with Unified Threat Prevention

Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN connects to the Zero Trust Exchange, which offers security features such as deep packet inspection (DPI), intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and robust firewall capabilities. It scans all traffic for malware, phishing attempts, and data exfiltration risks, minimizing exposure to cyberthreats across OT environments.

5. Increased Uptime

Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN helps automakers improve uptime by providing seamless failover, redundancy, and network reliability solutions. It integrates multiple network connections, such as fiber, cellular, or satellite, to automatically switch to a backup connection in case of failure, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity. Features like load balancing distribute traffic across connections to prevent overloads, while real-time monitoring and analytics detect potential issues before they escalate into downtime.

Leveraging software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) capabilities, Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN dynamically routes traffic through the best available path, enhancing reliability and performance while minimizing human intervention through automation. Additionally, its centralized management interface simplifies network control and troubleshooting, enabling IT teams to resolve issues quickly and maintain smooth operations.

Keeping Automotive Manufacturing on the Cutting Edge

As the industry embraces EVs, smart factories, and advanced automation, cyberthreats have the potential to derail progress, disrupt production, and jeopardize vehicle safety. Securing OT assets in automotive manufacturing has never been more critical. Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN provides auto manufacturers with a modernized approach to cybersecurity, enabling zero trust controls, precise segmentation, and secure cloud connectivity—all without compromising operational efficiency or uptime.

By simplifying OT-IT convergence, protecting critical production environments, and supporting evolving technologies like IoT and digital twins, Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN helps automotive manufacturers stay resilient in an era of rapid change. Protect your production lines, accelerate innovation with confidence, and ensure your OT systems are ready for the future of connected vehicle manufacturing.